Cassandra Potter, Sister Of The BoyWhoLived
by Anime-GaGa
Summary: I'm Cassandra Potter...yep Harry's sister as the title says. Hogwarts student, currently in my sixth year as the Weasly twins and my best friend Trish...a. You know what happens there? You're right. The Triwizard Tournament!...oh bloody hell! Cedric/OC
1. Prologue

_Chapter 1_

_It was dark, an stifling atmosphere. At least in the closet I was in. My heart was beating rapidly, although I didn't quite know why. Just a second ago I'd played with my little brother. Sure, I was just a child and of course I was happy with my life. But then again I knew when my parents were worried._

_And right now they were extremely worried. So worried that my Dad dragged me in my bedroom and put me into the closet. There I sat, frightened about something I didn't even know, as I heard a loud crash._

_And a scream, a horrible loud death scream. It pierced in my ears forever. I gasped and my eyes widen when I recognized the voice. It was from my father._

_Pushing the door open, I ran down the endless stairs, stumbling over in my hurry. In the hallway I first didn't notice him. Him in his dark cloak, his face hidden by a hood._

_All I saw was the brown-haired man lying on the floor. On his stomach, his glasses a few feet away, broken. And his deep hazel eyes open, staring at the wall with a glazed expression. Without the light sparkle in them anymore. I immediately knew what this meant. A motionless body without a heart beat and breathing. Soulless and plain dead. Dead. I realized my Dad turned to such a body. _

_Numbness came over my whole body,_

_"Daddy?" I barely heard my own voice as I toddled closer to the body with my bare feet._

_"Daddy?" I tried louder, not wanting to understand the all too well obvious._

_"Daddy!" I landed on my knees in front of him, sobs slowly starting to shake my body. I touched his face with my wavering fingers. His skin was cold. Too cold. That was when something tore apart inside me. Tears streamed down my cheeks freely as I wrapped my arm around my father. My dead father._

_"Daddy!" I wanted to scream it out, but my throat was dry. I held my arms tightly around him, sobbing and crying. I couldn't believe it. The father, who'd always smiled for her, who did everything to make her laugh and never wanted to upset her...was dead._

_My vision was blurry as I noticed a movement not far away from me. Looking there was a hooded man from whom I couldn't see the face. He walked closer to me. No, it looked more like he was floating, his cloak blocked my view._

_I could only watch as he raised his wand towards me. I whimpered. "Daddy, I'm scared" I said with a tiny voice, holding the cold body closer to me, although I knew he couldn't hear me. Not anymore..._

_The man made a noise, a horrible one, sounding like a snake. To my terror I recognized it as a laugh. But not a kind-hearted and loving laugh. It was a more a cruel and heartless one,_

_"W-Who a-are y-y-ou-u?" my whole body shook terribly now._

_I swore I heard a grin in his voice, a maniac grin, as he spoke. "I'm your death" A green light appeared out from his wand. I remembered Dad doing this as well, letting green and red lights appear from his wand. They would always sparkle towards the ceiling and then explode into more colors down to us. I'd never caught one of them. _

_But Dad never rested to use his magic for my brother's and my entertainment, until we both were too tired or exhausted. I would always end up on Dad's lap, falling asleep there._

_Now it was the same, just him on my lap. And now, Dad would probably not wake up anymore. I shut my eyes tightly, new tears slipping from my lids as the green light shot towards me and buried my face in Dad's hair. It afforded darkness, warm darkness, before the real one came. The cold one._

_"I love you, Daddy" With that it hit me..._

* * *

><p>...and I thought I was dead.<p>

* * *

><p>Cool wind crossed through my face like knife cuts. Stirring, I opened my eyes an inch only to get met by sparkling stars, too far away to touch them. <em>So I didn't land in heaven? Was I such a bad person? I want Mom and Dad back. And Harry<em>... A tear glinted in my eye, only one lonely tear, making his way down my right cheek. _But where am I then? Where do dead people go? They never told me..._

Confused I furrowed my brows and tried to move my head. Well I tried, but my head felt too heavy for my neck. I closed my eyes as the engine noise finally reached my ears. It was loud and clattering, too close to be from a mere street. Apart from this it was very quiet. I dozed off a little since every inch of my body seemed to be too heavy to move. I couldn't do anything.

At least so long until the ground I was laying shook and actually _moved_. I jumped, snapping my eyes open, and looked up. My mind was meanwhile clear enough to realize I wasn't anywhere on the ground. Instead I was sitting on a vehicle, that seemed to _have reached_ the ground. And not only that. In front of me was a big brown-haired/beard man, his arms around me along with a cloth, where a baby rested.

Adrenaline rushed through me as I scrambled away as far as I could, feeling scared from his mere presence. The man looked down at the movement. Totally terrified applied better right now. I quailed, but he only smiled although I couldn't be sure with this fluffy beard that seemed to cover half of his face.

I shivered at the cool wind as well as when the wheeler came to a stop._ What will happen now? Who is this big man?_ Am I really dead? It didn't appear so. It all looked far too real.  
>The harsh stop nearly made me fall out from the seat, which even wasn't really a seat, but the brown-haired giant got a hold with his big hand. His hand was warm and I felt the tiredness coming over me again, meddled with the warmth. Images came up in my mind before I fell asleep.<p>

Dad lying on the floor on his stomach. A hooded man raising his wand to me. _Avada Kedavra_ That was what the man said before everything got blind in a green flash. I whimpered as suddenly the sound of a crying baby came in my mind. The one I heard _before_ I died? _Harry_

"Harry!" I wanted to scream his name out. Was he dead, too? What did the man do to him? But his name came only blurringly out as a mumble. The sleep had overwhelmed me already.

* * *

><p><em>"What are we going to do with them?"<em>

"_They only have this family. But we have to separate them. We don't know what happened to the Dark Lord and _they_ surely will search after __siblings._

_Right now it would be the safest way so"_

_"But where should we bring the girl?"_

_"An old friend of Lily and James can probably help..."_

* * *

><p><em>"Cassandra Lily Potter" a brown haired woman said as she looked at the sleeping girl in her arms. "It's horrible their parents died. Lily...and James..."<em>

_"That is indeed true. And that's why I will have to ask you to take care of her. She might not remember what happened, but we can't be sure. Please try to help her"_

_"I will try my best"_

_"I'm thankful. As long as she is here, she will be safe. At least for a while..."_

* * *

><p><em>A four-years old girl with red curls sat on a chair in front of the window in her room, watching the clouds moving with her green eyes, dulled in the pain she had in her heart. Under her in a park children, most in her age, played with balls and with the swings. Her eyes followed the rocking motion until she heard a soft knock on the door, breaking the silence she was in for so long.<em>

_She looked at the door as it opened, the tall woman with the brown hair coming in cautiously, a tablet with food in her hand. "Hey Cassie, I brought you food" she said needlessly. She couldn't judge when this silent child, who was too silent, was about to cry._

_Cassandra or Cassie didn't answer and just looked at her with inscrutable expression. The woman, Grace was her name, sighed and placed the tablet down on the untapped bed. She kneeled down in front of the young child, looking intently into the eyes that reminded her so much of her old friend._

_She was about to speak, when Cassandra forestalled her. "Where is Harry?" Grace's eyes widen in surprise._

_"He...he lives with his relatives in the Muggle world" she answered, insecure if she understood. But Cassandra listened to her with a knowing look. "Is he alright?"_

_For the first time since she had taken care for this girl Grace could see emotions in her face. Worry and sadness was stretched across her face with unshed tears in her deep green eyes. Such things wasn't allowed for a child in her age to feel. It touched the woman heartedly. She slowly reached out to hug her. _

_Cassandra let her cradle her, until she fell asleep, tears streaming down her cheeks. "He is alright"_

* * *

><p>It was crowded on the platform nine and three quarters.. Many parents gave their children last advices and warned them not to do anything stupid. The latter could be seen mostly at a orange-haired family. I watched with a giggle as the woman, their mother probably, threatened two identical looking boys, twins for sure, if they played any tricks.<p>

They seemed to be newcomers on the infamous wizard school like me. _Hogwarts..._ I'd read a lot about it since I got a letter from them.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDY_  
><em>Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE (Order of Merlin, First class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)<em>

_Dear Ms. Potter, _

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_ Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Your sincerely,_  
><em>Minerva McGonagall<em>  
><em>Deputy Headmistress<br>_

Grace, my 'aunt' and the one who adopted me after my parents death, told me anything she knew about Hogwarts. And by her speech all I could imagine was how wonderful the school for students had to be.

She had also told me a lot about my father, James, who had been in the same year as Grace. How daring he was with his friends. He even had made a name along with his four friends. 'The Marauders'. I grinned as the thought, which I had played with for a while now, came up in my mind. I had sworn I would follow the steps of my father. But then again..._if you follow someone else's footsteps you won't leave some behind by yourself_.

However, I was new here and stood like a visible stone in the middle of running people. Why visible? Because almost everybody, who passed by me, first stared before they broke into whispers. I couldn't catch the words, but I _could_ fancy what they were talking about. _Cassandra Potter, sister of the boy-who-lived. _

_Harry...__is he alright? How does he live with his family?_ Those were questions I had asked myself thousand times in days. Right now, he had to be nine, two years younger than me. I remembered his birthday wasn't long ago. Guilt came over me. I never could sent him even a present to show I was there, a close relative to him. His sister. That I would see him as soon as he would come to Hogwarts. At least Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school, told me he would._ He will come sooner than you can imagine.  
><em>Those were his words and I believed them. And I vowed I would protect him this time from any danger. I vowed. After all he was my only real family.

The noise of the locomotive startled me and I hastily gathered my things together, walking towards the Hogwarts Express.

"Now, don't I get at least a goodbye-hug?" I rolled my eyes as I turned around, facing the brown-haired woman.

"Of course Grace!" Hugging her tightly I was somehow glad to have her. More glad than I had been before. Looking at all the kids who said good bye to their parents made me feel lonely. And it wasn't like I was totally immune against the nervousness of a new school with new students. "I will miss you" I mumbled into her shoulder, breathing in the comforting scent of a nameless flower.

"Me too. Promise me to come at least in the winter breaks" I nodded. "And write me every day"

"Every day?" I asked, doubting I could send any owl every day to her. She gave in. "Alright, every week" I opened my mouth in protest, but shut it audibly, knowing this conversation would last forever then and the locomotive gave another warning sound to get the students in.

"I'll try" I allowed myself to hug her for another second before I really had to hurry unless I wanted to miss the train.

Entering the locomotive I searched for a free compartment to sit while I struggled with my luggage. Since I came in in the last minute they were all more than full. I saw by passing most of the others hanging out from the window to wink to their parents and wished I could do so by myself. But searching for a place wasn't that easy I had thought it would be, even less when you didn't know anybody of the students.

I slowly got tired with my bag and by the time I didn't bother anymore. It didn't matter with whom I would sit, the main thing was _to_ sit. Looking to my right and left into the windows of the compartment I searched for a spare place. It was too late to notice the boy. Bumping against him I nearly lost my balance. "Oh sorry" I mumbled, hurrying away before he could answer. Puzzled grey-blue eyes followed me until I was out of his sight.

I sighed, just wanting to find a place to sit and release my tried feet.

And, finally, in one of the compartments were only two people sitting.

I sighed again, this time in relief. Opening the door fully I spoke. "I'm sorry, mind if I sit here with you?" The two looked up, one boy and the other a girl. Both had black hair. The boy's were slightly long and waved and he had those black eyes, which were gentle yet piercing at once. The girls hair were down to her mid-back as long as my red ones. Her eyes were pale blue, letting her look somehow exotic. All in one, they looked rather similar so I assumed they had to be related in some way.

The boy smiled or smirked? "Sure you can" He ignored the look the girl shot him, a dark and surprised look. I pretended to not see it too and heaved up my luggage on its place above the seats. Seeing I had problems with the weight, which wasn't even that heavy, I was just too weak, a pair of hands helped me with it. Surprised I looked behind me to see the boy pushing my things up. He was taller than me I briefly noticed. "Thank you!" I smiled to him.

He replied it slightly and I was very well aware of the observing eyes.

Following him suit I sat down beside the girl. I saw she had a book in her hands, one of those we had to buy in Diagon Alley.

"I'm Dylan by the way" the boy spoke. "Dylan Malfoy...and this" he narrowed his eyes at the girl as she didn't speak. "is my cousin. Sylvia"

"I'm Cassandra Potter..."

* * *

><p>My stomach still turned round and round as we, the first years, made our way to the Great Hall, following a teacher who had her hair tied back strictly under the hat. The thought of the big man, who brought us to the boats didn't make it better. Not to mention his beard was rather familiar to me - like I had seen it before somewhere.<p>

It vanished out of my mind however as the woman stopped us and started to speak.

"Welcome to Hogwarts" the teacher, Professor McGonagall I caught, said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses.

The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room" How interesting. That wasn't sarcasm.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards.

While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours" Well, that was interesting. Alright, not much...

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting" Jeez, we still had to wait? I was too excited to think of brushing myself off or something in the way so I just watched some others smoothing their robes we had to put on in the train. They all looked somehow nervous and even _terrified._ _I wonder why, is it because of The Sorting?_

Finally, indeed it took her a while, Professor McGonagall came back. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start. Form a line and follow me" We obeyed and followed her to some big double doors which opened as soon as the teacher stood in front of it.

I tiptoed to catch a glance even before I got in, too anxious to stand still while I waited for the line to move on. I hoped my mouth wasn't hanging on the floor as I looked around. The room was big as in big. No wonder it was called 'Great Hall'. Four large tables were placed in the middle with the rest of the students already sitting, who watched us as we made our way to the end. On the tables were plates and goblets, all shining in a beautiful gold color. Which made me wonder why they shined. As I looked up I nearly stopped with my tracks.

Thousands and thousands candles were floating near the high ceiling, lightening the Great Hall, over them a lilac-velvet sky with stars like it hadn't a ceiling. And that wasn't all. At the top of the hall, some stairs up, was another large table where older people sat, the teachers I assumed. They were facing the students, meaning us as well. In the middle of them was a white-haired man with a long white beard, standing strangely out from the other ones to his sides. And I didn't mean because of the snow white hair or because he sat right in the middle, he had just an atmosphere around him I couldn't quite make out.

Professor McGonagall placed a chair in front of us. I stared at it. A hat was set on the chair, a filthy ragged one. _Now, they don't expect us to sat _this_ on our head, do they?_

Suddenly the hat moved and twitched. Startled and amazed at the same time I stared at it as it opened its 'mouth' widely and started to sing. Seriously, _he sang a song_. I didn't quite make out what it was actually singing, I was too shocked for this. I thought I'd heard the words 'Hufflepuff' or 'Slytherin', the houses from whom McGonagall had spoken.

As it stopped the professor said. "When I call out your name you will put on the hat to be sorted" I shut my gaping mouth since my jaw started to hurt. _Jeez, so we have to put it on?  
><em>

Bit by bit every newcomer got called out.

"Angelina Johnsen" I had to say the hat took his time at the each student as if he really could say where they belonged to by just laying on his' or hers head.

"GRYNFFINDOR" Cheers erupted from the named table and the girl got welcomed warmly from the older students. _Hopefully each house will do this..._

"Mai Chang"

"RAVENCLAW" _Seems like this house does so as well_ I watched as a petite black-haired Chinese girl walked to her belonged table. _When is my turn? _I didn't think I could stand still for too long.

"Lucas Goodale"

RAVENCLAW"

"Cedric Diggory" To my surprise I recognized this boy. It was the one I had bumped against in the Hogwarts Express. Taking a closer look I saw he had brown hair, tidy, and grey blue eyes. He sat down on the chair.

"HUFFLEPUFF"

"Rodger Davis"

"RAVENCLAW"

"Katie Bell"

"GRYFFINDOR"

"Fred Weasley"

"GRYFFINDOR"

"George Weasley"

"GRYFFINDOR" _So many Gryffindors...is that normal?_

"Dylan Malfoy" At this name my eyes darted up towards the dark-eyed boy. He walked towards the chair, his endless black eyes totally calm.

"SLYTHERIN" The first Slytherin from this year I noticed. Cheers came up from the near left.

"Sylvia Malfoy"_ Strange, they have the same last name although they are cousins..._

SLYTHERIN" Could you expect something else?_ Is it even possible to be somewhere else than where your relatives are_

"Trisha Hutton"

"GRYFFINDOR"

"John Tanner"

"HUFFLEPUFF" After each name I felt my heart beat quicken. _Now it could be my turn, no now...no now..._

"Cassandra Potter" Shockingly enough the room fell silent. As in silent. And that with thousand students in a room.

As confident as someone, who was over-excited, could be I walked towards the wrinkled hat, tensing as I felt so many pairs of eyes on me. I sat down on the chair, getting a brief glance at the room before my view got blocked by the too large hat. Darkness shadowed over my eyes and I asked myself if the others had almost jumped like me as the hat spoke.

_Well, well what do we have here. A Potter_ I would have winced at the sudden loudness in my ears, but therefor I was too tensed. The silence was deafening, my heart beat so loud I bet everybody could hear. _Interesting, strong and determined. And a vow you gave yourself, interesting... _It spoke slowly and I asked myself in a split of a second if it did so on purpose.

_Probably you would be great in...hard to tell, hard to tell...Slytherin? _I held my breathe. _No..._ "GRYFFINDOR"

Again loud cheers broke out from the Gryffindor table,_ so _loud it was amazing how it could have been silent a minute ago. I didn't know if I should be happy or not. After all my first friends were in Slytherin. But then again Grace told me both of my parents were in Gryffindor._ Shouldn't I be rather proud then to be in the same house? I should..._ I thought. So I stood up with a small smile, taking off the hat from my head before I made my way down towards the cheering crowd of Gryffindor.

"Potter! We have Potter!" I thought I heard them sing as a boy came up to me, shaking my hand excitedly, "It's nice to have _you_ in Gryffindor. I'm Percy Weasley, one of the prefect of your house..." He led me to table.

I caught a glimpse at Dylan and Sylvia. The latter looked neutral while Dylan rather disappointed. I gave him a sad smile although none of the two looked at me.

"Here, come sit with us!" A voice made my head turn away to the source. The twins I had seen before with their scolding mother winked me to a space between them. I raised my brow, not sure if this was dangerous or not. After all their mother was warning them with pranks and so on. A_s if Grace hasn't..._ I shrugged and sat down on the seat, noticing the names of the remaining first years still got called out.

"I'm Fred" the one to my right said. "I'm George" the other continued. "And we are the Weasley's" That was spoken in unison. And weird. Not knowing to which one I should look I leaned back to see them both at least a bit, "I'm Cassandra"

"So Cassandra" The one right to me, Fred said, "you are quite known, aren't you?"

"Really? I didn't notice" was all I said.

"Lee Jordan"

"GRYFFINDOR" Cheers broke out at our table again, preventing the twins to speak for a moment. I absently clapped with them as I looked down on the plates. They were empty.

"Because you are Cassandra _Potter_" A girl in front of me spoke. She had straight blond hair, that reached down her shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face and blue eyes.

"I'm Trisha Hutton" she introduced herself. I rested my elbows on the table, my sleeve sliding down my arms a little. "Hm, seems like you know my name" What else should I say, really?

"Are you kidding? Everybody knows your name!" At this I raised my eyebrows. I admit it caught me off guard. _Could it be then..._

I looked behind me towards the Slytherin table. Between the heads of people from other tables I could make out Dylan's. He was speaking to some older students, Sylvia sitting beside him in her calm self. _Could he only have spoken to me, because everybody knows me? _At this moment the black-haired boy looked up as if he felt me looking. His dark eyes met my green ones. _No..._

Who knew, how difficult the relationship between us three, Dylan, Sylvia and me could get...

In the end we got sent to our houses by the prefects.

I found myself sharing a room with Trisha and two other girls, Katie and Alicia they introduced themselves. Resting on the comfortable bed with the curtains, which blocked me from the rest of the world I looked out at the window. It was a clear night and stars shone brightly down just like in the 'Great Hall'. I had caught myself looking several times back up at the ceiling, unbelieving.

Sure, it wasn't that favorable to live in the 'Muggle' world before. _Muggle_ Somehow it sounded to me like an insult. I would rather have wanted to call them only humans.

I sighed as sleepiness came over me while I recalled the day, starting with the wall I had to run through. That had been already shocking, but then more and more events came up that had let me forgotten it on the first place. I was sure I wouldn't have forgot it for a while if it wasn't for the school. Let alone the stairs that moved were startling as well as the picture in the entrance of my new house, which actually spoke, demanding a password. I giggled, before I sighed with a carefree smile.

_The lady is really fat_...

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><p><strong>Weeeeelllll, I started it. A new story. Unbelievable, isn't it? I hope it's a good start and I just published this to see how many reviews this would get.<strong>

**It's only the prologue and I will have to look if I update this soon or let it just stay. It depends of course on your reviews. So tell me how my writing style is, please...**

**Love you already,**

**Anime-gaga**


	2. The Beginning Of All

**Oh well, sorry for the late update. You know, I'm kinda writing it down and then I have to tip it down on the computer...costs a lot of time. At least I've made it quite long, didn't I? Hope you'll like it.**

**The story starts with the fourth book 'The Goblet Fire'. In this chapter there won't be any Cedric interferences, but I promise it will be in the next one. It all comes with the time. So enjoy this as well! Here you go...**

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><p><em>Chapter 2 The Beginning Of All<br>_

Uff, Floo powder was the worst magical transport I knew. Not that I knew much, but nonetheless. Coughing I got from the fireplace, coal dust whirling around me. I had only time to brush the dust off from my clothes as I got thrown into a rip-crushing hug. Since I wasn't quite prepared, my remaining breathe used up too soon. Orange-ginger hair tickled my face, the sole fact the showed _who_ actually was about to kill me.

"Mrs. Weasley, it's difficult to breathe" I said as calm as someone who asphyxiated right now could. Eventually she released me, holding me an arm-length away.

"I'm sorry Cassie, but it's so nice to see you again"

I grinned. "Was it _that_ boring without me?" The cozily loving woman laughed, before she sighed.

"Are you excited because of the World Cup?" I sighed as well.

"After the all too long speech Fred and George held for me, I can't be anything else than excited" I replied, trying to get as emotional as I had the two in my mind when they had spoken about the end game between Ireland and Bulgaria while we made our way through the kitchen. "Whey are they by the way?"

"They are still asleep upstairs" she replied. I frowned in mock. "Seriously?" It was half past ten in the morning. But that frown soon turned into a surprise as I saw two guys on the kitchen table. I stopped short as they looked up. Neither of them was one that I knew, so I assumed those two where the oldest children in this family. I'd never met them before, but Fred told me about some names, Bill and Charlie.

"Hey" I greeted them solemnly as I didn't know what else to do. They smiled and winked.

"Hey Cassandra, did some good pranks in the summer?" the one the left spoke with a grin and stood, stretching out his hand to me. "I'm Bill" Taken aback I automatically took his hand, shaking it politely.

"As everybody who has an common sense I can tell you know my name" I 'introduced' myself. Bill and the other one whose name I didn't know yet laughed. The other got up to his feet as well, shaking my hand. "I'm Charlie, nice to meet you" I smiled at them. Charlie was shorter than Bill with a sturdy body, his good-looking freckled face, his arms muscular as I noticed. I daresay I had seen a burn on his right arm but couldn't be sure. Bill however had his long hair tied back into a pony tail, tall body and was wearing an earring. They both were good-natured and seemed to be one of the mans who could have get every girl in Hogwarts.

"The two came to see together with you and the others the World Cup" Mrs. Weasley informed me. I had the feeling my eyes were lighten up.

"Ah, you're coming with us? So you like Quidditch, I guess?"

"Of course!" Charlie exclaimed. "Quidditch is the best sport ever" Bill added.

"I concur" I grinned as I looked to my left at the stairs. "Well, I'm going up..." Glancing back at them back I walked away. "...if you don't mind. I won't miss such a chance" Hopping upstairs I silently opened the door to the room of which I knew belonged to Fred and George. I glimpsed inside. Two sleeping forms were laying on the beds, the room filled with various things. A smirk appeared on my lips, knowing they were producing new creations for their joke shop. I stepped as quietly as I could with my boots, reaching into my pocket. My hand closed around on something rotund, taking it out. It revealed a small green ball.

I checked if the two were in a good deep sleep, before I cracked the petite pellet open. Fog glided out from the inside in a mix-color of green and baleful white. It spread out rather quickly through the room. As well as the stench. I grimaced and went over to the window. I opened it in a little gap for breathe. The fog got thicker and thicker. I frowned thoughtfully. _Maybe I took too much..._ I pursed my lips, but thankfully s fresh wind breezed into the slit, waving my bangs. By not the red curls were down to my waist. I'd always wanted to cut it, but then again I couldn't bring myself to do so.

Coughs reached my ears as I saw dim movements in front of me, probably were the beds had been.

"What is this?" Was this Fred?

"It could be our new production..."

"...but it shouldn't show _this_ reaction."

"No, it really shouldn't" I agreed with sniffily. I opened the window fully, allowing the all too welcoming fresh wind to come in after a while of glory. I could see Fred and George jump through the dissolving fog as I spoke and had to smirk even wider.

"Cassie-?"

"Is it you?" Slowly we got visible to each other. "Who else?" I replied, smiling warmly at their features as I ran up to them, my arms embracing their waists in a huge hug. They got even more taller during the summer it seemed. They laughed, replying my gesture. "I missed you!" I whined. "And the pranks!"

They grinned their identical smile on their identical faces. "Oh, has the Prankqueen been smitten without us?" I stuck my tongue out.

"Not exactly, it was just boring to do all the experiments alone..." George stopped digging around underneath his bed, who had searched whatever was down there. I saw their brown eyes lighten up suddenly.

"You've made-"

"New experiments?" It was kind of weird to hear how they ended their sentences as if they could read each other's mind. To foreigners it would be definitely creepy, but after the six years we three had shared the same house, almost every class and the same quidditch team I was able to get used to it.

"Ah, yes-" they rushed forwards. "but they are all still in my uncle's house." It was true. The most of the little creations were made in the little room under the stairs. Harry would always sit on his bed, enjoying the presence of his magical stuff including his broom. With all _my_ things in there as well it had been very closely spaced, not to mention the second bed, but I didn't mind. Sure, Uncle Vernon wouldn't have allowed us to have anything magical in Harry's room when we lived there, but since we had a godfather, Sirius, who was on escape of the ministry, he got less strict. I grinned at the thought of the frightened face on the fat man's face as I told him from Sirius. He believed us actually, which was kind of surprising since he had always done everything toprove we were lying.

Harry and I had almost written everyday to our other relative, considering the fact how tired Hedwig was when I left to visit Grace. It was a good feeling to have someone older you can ask everything without thinking you would get on his nerve. Sirius always seemed interested in our life ( which was totally boring with the Dursley's ) and I had the feeling he just wanted to catch up the years he had been stuck in Azkaban. Which, of course, wasn't his own fault. It was an mistake that he got imprisoned, he hadn't done anything against the law. But who would believe us? Because of that he had to flee.

Fred and George groaned in disappointment. "Don't give me that look" I said. "We will go get Harry back here and while we are in the Dursley's I can pack my things." I hadn't bothered taking my school stuff with me to Grace. It would have been too heavy. "Five o'clock. We will pick him up. Are you coming with us?" I asked, my eyes moved from brown eyes to brown eyes. They grinned with a hint of mischief.

"Of course! We won't miss the chance to see your cousin Dudley and-"

"try our new creation on him" George added.

"Ton-Tongue toffee!" they exclaimed together. I threw myself into the nearest bed. Whirling around through the fireplace was very dizzying.

"Is it the one you've written in the letters about. Are they finished?" Fred beamed as George searched again under the bed I was laying on right now. He took out a small box. I moved up as he sat down on the foot of the bed with Fred by his side, trying to catch a glance. Inside were normal looking Toffees, wrapped neatly in his brown papers. They seemed to be untouched as if they were totally normal. _As if..._

I smirked. "And whoever eats one, will have his tongue grow some meters?"

"Yep" the twins replied simultaneously. "And you're going to give Dudley one?" I continued with doubt. "But you know he won't except it from any of us..."

"Yeah, you told us that. Dad would be angry as well."

"So that's why we will get him to eat by giving him one 'accidentally'"

"Oh well, _then_" I grinned, but got interrupted from a knock at the door. George quickly yet gently stuffed the box under the bed while I laid flat on my back as the door opened. We surely looked like we had a 'normal' conversation. But in the end it was only two teenagers. A fluffy brown-haired girl followed by a orange-haired boy, similar looking to Fred and George. Hermione and Ron came in, the two best friends of my little brother.

"Cassie!" A voice, that to my utterly confusion, didn't belong to any of the newcomers exclaimed. I could barely get to see a flash of red and orange before tiny arms embraced me.

"Hey Ginny" I greeted her gently. I patted her back as she squeezed me. "How are you doing? Has your summer been good?"

"It isn't over yet" the petite girl laughed, showing me her freckled face. My smile felt warm as I ruffled her straight hair. She pushed my hand playfully away.

"Hi Cassie" Hermione greeted me with a smile while Ron, "Hey, where did you leave Harry?"

"Well..."

"Ron!" Hermione shouted. The called blinked. "What? I've just asked her wher-"

"That's rude, Ron! You know she is going to pick up Harry today..."

"Okay, they can hold a conversation by themselves" I concluded, watching them at their bickering.

"They did this the whole summer long" Ginny informed in a more quieter tone.

"The whole summer?"

"Yep-"

"Without any pause" George and Fred added. I smirked at the pair. "Tcha, teasing is a sign of affection..." Ginny chuckled as Mrs. Weasley joined us.

"Fred! George! Dress yourself and get down to breakfast. You are already late. Oh, and the rest of you can come with me now." We followed her downstairs while the door shut behind us.

The tasty smell of wonderful food reached my nose as I was only standing on the last step. Not that Grace couldn't cook, but Mrs. Weasley was the best. After the cooks of Hogwarts. My half-empty stomach rumbled while I breathed in deeply, answering to the awaiting food. Sitting down at the table we greeted Mr. Weasley, who came back from wherever he had been.

"Oh Cassie, good morning" he spoke as he noticed my presence. "Nice to see you again." "Nice to be back" I grinned.

"How has your summer been so far?"

"If you stretch the time I've spent with the Dursley's, then wonderful." Okay, I felt guilty I had left Harry after a week alone to visit Grace. But at least he'd come today to us. And it didn't matter if Uncle and Aunt wanted it or not. We would get him here anyway.

"It's good Harry will come today" Ron said like he'd read my thoughts, "Right in time for the World Cup..." Excitement broke out at the table with Fred and George joining us. I sighed in bliss. _This is going to be good._

Partially I was right.

* * *

><p>"Come on Cass! Wake up, we have to go. It's almost five"<p>

"Eh" I groaned, burying my face deeper into the soft pillow. I had a wonderful dream and now the person interrupted me. "Leave me alone"

The person sighed. "You don't want us to wake you up forcefully..." I rolled over to my back squinting to recognize it was Fred and George, sitting on either side of the bed.

"Hey! What are you doing in my bedroom?" They grinned. "It's our bedroom, Cassie" I looked through the room only to notice the familiar beds of the twins with all the random stuffs in them. "Oh" was all I was able to say as they pulled me up.

"Now change, it's already five o'clock" That shook me awake. "What!" Dashing out I didn't let them answer. I quickly stumbled up _to_ my room and packed some fresh clothes out from the luggage to change. It was a record that I, Cassandra Lily Potter, managed to get ready in least than seven minutes. Running downstairs it was a miracle I didn't fell flat on my face.

"Jeez, why haven't you waked me up earlier?" I asked with mild anger as I passed the twins' room.

"You wouldn't wake up" George replied, jogging to catch up. We hurried into the kitchen room where everybody were ready. Meaning Ron and Mr. Weasley with all the others, who weren't going to come with us.

"Fred! George! Cassie, you're late. It's already quarter past five." _Oh, guess it hasn't been only seven minutes _I thought.

"It's their fault" I spoke casually, pointing at the two beside me.

"Yeah, of course it was _our _fault" Fred spotted.

"It doesn't matter now. Go now or Harry will get worried" Mrs. Weasley intervened.

"She's right" I spoke quickly as Fred and George were about to. "So, how are we going to Privet Drive?" I asked, looking around for a car or something else that could transport us there._ As if a car would be in a kitchen_.

"Ah, here is it" Mr. Weasley said as he took out a bag out from his pocket. "Floo powder" My face fell. _Again?_ _Come on..._ I sighed.

"Hey, it's worth it" Fred said behind me and I noticed that _he_ noticed my expression. George pointed inconspicuously at his pockets, which looked kind of filled with certain toffees.  
>I grinned.<p>

Mr. Weasley pointed his wand at the fireplace on the wall. "Incendio!" Flames rosed up and changed into a unnatural color of green as Mr. Weasley threw the powder in them. It reminded me at the flash of death. _  
><em>

_Avada Kedavra_ Those words the Dark Lord, Voldemort, had spoken, his wand pointed at me...those words I would never forget. It was still inexplicable to me how I wasn't dead. Professor Dumbledore said I had merrily been stunned by the unforgivable curse. It was the time when I had been in my second year in Hogwarts...

_I sat on the table in Transfiguration with my best friend Trisha on my left side. The room was filled with people of each house, each house members sticking together with their 'family'. Through the tables I saw Sylvia with all the Slytherins around her and her cousin Dylan. I sighed. It had been a week. A week when I stopped meeting him. When I broke up with Dylan. He had changed so much in many ways and I knew it was because of the other Slytherins. They made him be like he was now. Cruel to everybody below him. Meaning all the 'mud bloods' or 'half breeds'. Just because of the Slytherins. I grew to hate them more and more. But still...I knew, I somehow knew, inside Dylan was still the gentle sweet boy I had met in the compartment. If he showed it or not, I knew he was there somewhere.  
><em>

_Professor McGonagall came in. "Get on your seats, class. Good." She looked around as everybody took their places_, _quieting down at her stern gaze. Unfortunately this gaze chose to stop on me. "Miss Potter"  
><em>

_"Professor" I said with a carefree smile as everybody turned to look at me. She didn't reply it. "The headmaster wishes to see you."_

_"Now?" I asked with surprise although that wasn't what I'd wanted to ask me. Why did I have to go to Dumbledore? That was rather the question. "Yes Potter, now. I will take you to him and meanwhile the rest of you take out your wands and practice the spell again from last class."_ _Eventually they all stopped staring at me and took out their wands. I stood up as McGonagall came towards me, a mask hidden whatever was behind it. Which made me quite nervous. I followed her to the door, passing Fred and George who were sitting behind me. "What have you done?" I sighed. At least they were tactful enough to not ask me 'Did you get caught?'._

_I shrugged. "I don't know. But that doesn't have to mean something" I added louder as I'd already passed them, leaving the class chuckling. We were silent on the way to the headmaster's office. It was kind of exciting to see it for the first time. But then again, if it had been for other circumstances. Whatever_ this _circumstances were._

_"So, did I get caught with something special?" I seriously could have bitten my tongue out for this stupid answer. But I swore I'd seen McGonagall trying to hide a smile as she talked._

_"No, but Professor Dumbledore has to inform you about something that might be important for you" That got my attention. Brooding the rest of the way what it could be I fell silent until McGonagall stopped abruptly. I nearly bumped into her but managed to recoil right in time. 'Must be because of quidditch. One benefit for us, we get reflexes due to the training' I thought.  
><em>

_She spoke out her password and the gargoyle moved so we could get to the staircase. Well, me not we I had to notice. I'd waited stupidly for McGonagall to move on but she only pointed at it. "Go on"_

_"You're not coming with me?" That made me nervous. Being alone with a wise old wizard, who had seen more than anyone, could be dangerous. Although I didn't think he would do something damaging to me. But still. McGonagall seemed to read my thoughts as she gave me one of her rare reassuring smiles. "It's alright, he just wants you to know."_

_So I hastily walked to stairs which were moving up and waited until it reached its top. There was a corridor with a double door which I could only assume to be the headmaster's room. To be polite I knocked before opening it. I had diverse visions how Dumbeldore's office would look, but it was definitely not like this. Portraits over portraits were placed on the walls, each showing sleeping old man's from whom I had no clue who they were. Odd looking tables where placed here and there with odd instruments I wasn't able to classify. There were many books, maybe not as much as the library but still. And a big wooden table up the stairs with elegant forms. With no Dumbledore sitting behind it. I waited in the stillness of the room. It wasn't a crushing silence. Just normal and calm, an atmosphere I could live with. At least until a screeching sound made me jump. _Again. _That was too much jumping in such a less time. That would be the last time.  
><em>  
><em>"I'm sorry if it scared you" a voice came from behind. Making me <span>nearly<span> jump. I winced and whirled around._ _There, standing in his own special robes, at the doors was no one else than Albus Dumbledore._

_"Professor Dumbledore" was all I said for greeting, his intense eyes stopping from saying anything else._

_"Nice to see you again, Cassandra" he spoke gently, walking towards his desk where now was staying a large, beautiful phoenix with scarlet feathers and a golden tail. I stared at it, amazed by his beauty. "I apologize if Fawkes startled you."_

_"No no, it's alright" I mumbled absent-minded. Dumbledore smiled slightly before he sat down on his oaken chair._

_"Come closer" Hesitating I slowly went up the short stairs to the front of his desk. "Do you remember when I've told you your brother will come to Hogwarts"_

_"Yes. You told me he would come sooner than I can imagine" His eyes twinkled at my words._

_"That's true. I've told you that. He will start next year in this school when he reached the age of eleven." He was coming. In only some months he was coming. I smiled widely._

_"So he will start his first year after the holidays?" Dumbledore nodded. "I've wanted to inform you of that since you waited for so long." I beamed happily. Why not? Finally, finally Harry was about to come to Hogwarts, a safe place where we could be reunited again._

_"You may go back to your class" Dumbledore said, his eyes still having the twinkles in them. I barely contained rolling my eyes. As if I would listen in class anymore. He seemed to think the same thing but dismissed me anyway._

_I was halfway to the door when I stopped again with a thought. Now or never. I'd always wanted to know. 'So now is the best time to ask' Cass I thought to myself. 'Later he might have no time anymore'...'But maybe he hasn't time now, too'...'Don't be silly. If he hasn't time, he wouldn't have give you this simple information about Harry personally. Just go ask.'_

_"Professor" I turned around, although my inner selfs were still debating whether or not to. The white-haired man looked down to me. "What happened...on Dad's and Mom's death...to me?" Dumbledore sighed and for a moment I thought I had disturbed him really._

_"I knew you would ask me this someday" he started. "It has something to do with your father. Why you are still alive..."  
><em>  
>"Our turn!" Fred and George exclaimed together, walking towards the chimney from where Mr. Weasley seemed to have already disappeared. Fred took a handful of the Floo Powder from the bag Mrs. Weasley held out for him. "Privet Drive 4" And with that he vanished in the all too familiar flash of green flames. Hollow sounds came from far away yet still surprisingly audible for us. George and I glanced at each other before he shrugged, mimicking his twin brother.<p>

"Ouch!" I clearly heard his voice. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"What's going on?" Ron asked uncertain. I shrugged thoughtfully. Something seemed to have got wrong, but what on earth could get wrong if you wanted to transport yourself from a fireplace to another? That was when it hit me. I couldn't help the smirk appearing on my lips.

"I don't know. Come on, you're next!" I urged him to go. Quizzically he obeyed. "Privet Drive 4" I broke out in laughter as soon as he disappeared, not able to hold it back, my stomach starting to hurt already. Confused everybody stared at me.

"What's so funny?" Bill asked puzzled. My shoulders shook and I felt my eyes go wet, blurring my vision. "They're stuck" I replied, leaning against the edge of the fireplace while holding my side. Glancing around I noticed they didn't look any smarter.

"What do you me-?"

"Cassie!" I jumped away from my place, maybe some feet high, as the voice spoke eerily from nowhere. I barely recognized it was Ron's. _What on earth..._

"Ron, dear?" Mrs. Weasley, who seemed to realize as well who had spoken, asked cautiously, not knowing where exactly to speak.

"Cassie, can you hear me?" I winced at the sound intensity. As if he talked into a megaphone, placed right at my ear. "Loud and clear" I said.

"Dad says you shouldn't come yet!"

"No! let her come" This sounded like Fred.

"Yeah, we have the time of our lives right now. Let her join us" said George, who sounded rather muffled like his face was pressed against something. Hard.

"No thanks, I'll pass" I replied while the kitchen got filled with laughter behind me.

"Oh, I know" Mr. Weasley's voice came quietly from - well from wherever he was. "Tell Cassie she can come in a second"

"Cassie you can come in a minute" Fred passed on. "Hasn't he said in a second?" "No, he hasn't" I grinned.

"Why are they stuck anyway?" Charlie asked with amused.

"Because Uncle Vernon's fireplace is blocked. They placed an electric fire instead" Confusion was written all over their faces. "Ecletic?" Bill asked. "No, she said electric" Charlie corrected him, adding after a thought, "I think"

"Never mind" I waved off. I'd waited at least _two_ minutes until I was sure they weren't stuck anymore due to the fact we couldn't hear any voices. _I wonder how they got out..._ I reached for the Floo Powder, getting a handful of it before I walked inside the chimney. "Privet Drive 4!" I called out loud and clear. The kitchen disappeared from my view along with all the people in them. I closed my eyes as I whirled around, feeling dizziness coming up again. Everything was green, even through my eyelids, until it stopped. Finally I stumbled out from the fireplace. Or better, what was left of the fireplace. To be honest, it was only a black hole at the wall. I remarked with a grin that Mr. Weasley had blown the electric fire away to the opposite wall.

"Cassie" a voice exclaimed. I looked over to see a young, thin, black-haired boy standing not far away from me. He had round glasses placed on his and washed-out clothes, looking to small for his height. A smile spread on my face, broadly and warm as I recognized who it was. Rushing over to him I took him into a bone-crushing hug that put Mrs. Weasley's into shame. "Hey Harry" I greeted him gently. He replied my gesture. To my displeasure I could feel every single rib through his skin _and _jumper. "You are far too thin!" I exclaimed, shooting a side glare at the Dursley's, who were all grouped as far as possible from us. Unfortunately they didn't notice it since they were too busy staring at the wand Mr. Weasley held casually at his hand.

"That comes out from you" Harry mumbled half-heartedly scolding. I smiled softly at my little brother's face. Judging by the only picture I could tell he got everything from his father. From his hair color and glasses down to his stature. Except for his eyes. Those were an emerald green just like mine.

"...I had your fireplace connected to the Floo Network, you see" Mr. Weasley's voice reached my ears. "Just for an afternoon so we could get Harry. Usually Muggle fireplaces aren't allowed to be connected, strictly. But I've got a useful contact at the Floo Regulation Panel and he fixed it for me. I can put it right in a jiffy though, don't worry. I'll light a fire to send the them back, and then I can repair your fireplace before I disapparate."

"As if they'd understand this" I made Harry snigger. "I don't even understand it." Just now Mr. Weasley seemed to notice Harry's presence here. He smiled brightly.

"Hello Harry, is your trunk ready?" Harry grinned at him. "It's upstairs."

"We'll go get it" Fred offered George and himself.

"I'll go, too. There are still some things I have to pack" I declared. Mr. Weasley nodded, turning to stare at all the muggle stuff. With another smile at Harry I disappeared from the views of everybody who were in the living room, walking up the stairs along with the twins. As soon as we were out of sight Fred and George started to snicker. "What's going on?" I turned around to face the two and went the rest backwards.

"Well, we were wondering where your cousin is?"

"Is he probably too scared to come and face us?" Then it clicked. I rolled my eyes. "So that's why you've offered to get Harry's trunk. And here I thought you just wanted to be helpful"

"We are helpful. We are going to make little fun with this Dudley-boy for Harry's entertaining" George replied with a grin. "And we thought we could get him into the living room before we give those to him" He tapped at his pocket pointedly enough. We reached Harry's room. Opening the door, I noticed it was like I had left it. Dusty and messy. "Ah, it's so good to be home" I exclaimed, my voice dripping in sarcasm.  
>The twins found Harry's trunk beside the closet and sat down on my bed while I was collecting my things, discussing how to give Dudley the Toffees 'accidentally'. I rolled my eyes at the ideas I got to hear before they agreed on the simplest one. George pulled out a handful of the little sweets. "It's your honor, brother"<p>

Resurveying everything in the luggage I wondered what I could have forgotten. Clothes, books magical/non-magical, the small bag with all my experiments in them. I remembered Sylvia had cast a spell on it, making the room inside so big, everything could get in. And in the outside it remained as a simple 'normal' hand-bag, only my arm being able to reach in fully. I smiled at the thought of Sylvia and all the other friends that awaited me in Hogwarts. _And Dylan..._ Tears tried his way up to my eyes.I shook my head vigorously. Dylan was the past. Still I couldn't prevent my hand to reach up for my neck.

"Well, Cassie where are your creations now?" Fred's voice snapped me out. I quickly put my hand down before I turned around. He looked around the little room. Snapping the lock of my luggage close, I hoisted it out of Harry's bed. "Already packed in" I replied, thinking of the blue colored pocketbook underneath all the clothes I'd randomly picked out without bothering to fold them. Mrs. Weasley would wash them all anyway as soon as they'd landed in her house, if they were clean or not. The twins pouted identically, but followed me out from the hell of this room. When we came back into the living room however, loaded with two trunks, they smirked evilly. And I founded out why. Dudley had joined our group in the room, pressed at the wall, his hands clinging on his butt, reminding me of the funny time were a pig tail appeared from it. I grinned at Harry as I stopped beside him.

"Finished? Ah right" Mr. Weasley spoke with an unmistakable amount of gladness. "Better get cracking then" He took out his wand, pretending to not see how the Dursley's backed away. Or he really didn't see it. Pointing his wand at the black hole, the remaining of the once so _beautiful_ electric fireplace, he shouted "Incendio!" And again, like at The Burrow' flames shot up before they dulled down to nothing, but roared higher again as Mr. Weasley threw in the Floo Powder. My eyes twitched at the high pitched shriek Aunt Petunia gave out or was it Dudley? Who knows... "Off you go then, Fred" the wizard commanded.

"Coming" the named called out, making his way through the living room. But midway something 'accidentally' fell out from his pocket and dropped on the floor 'accidentally'. "Oh no, hang on" he exclaimed with a tone that could only fool the ones, who knew what he was up to. Fred dived down to get the in bright colored wrappers Toffees, scrambling on his all fours. I suppressed a laugh as I barely yet for sure noticed how he 'accidentally' kicked one sweet with his foot towards the fat, scared-looking boy, who by now stood behind his parents, unsuccessfully trying to hide himself.

Staying up Fred stuffed in apparently all toffees back into his pocket, before he walked straight into the chimney with the gleaming fire, not missing to give a cheerful wave at my cousin. With a loud "The Burrow" he disappeared. George and Ron followed him soon, vanishing from our view. Leaving Mr. Weasley, Harry and me alone with the Dursley's.

"Well, let's go Harry" I spoke, pushing him gently towards the awaiting flames. Harry looked back at our relatives. "Well...bye then" he said. None of them replied, much to my disapproval. Honestly, they could at least be nice enough to say bye. It wasn't like he troubled them all the time. Quite the opposite. He was always _too_ nice, obeying everytime they shouted orders to him without complaining. I'd managed to stop Aunt and Uncle yelling so rudely at Harry. He didn't deserve this.

Mr. Weasley seemed to think so as well. He stopped the black-haired boy by his shoulder just as he was about to go into the fire. He stared at the Dursley's with some amazement. Not meaning in the positive way though. "Harry said good-bye to you, didn't you hear him?" he asked Uncle Vernon. "It doesn't matter, " Harry muttered to Mr. Weasley. "Honestly, I don't care." But the wizard didn't listen to him, his eyes fixed on the three. "You won't see him until the next summer...surely you want to say goodbye" Uncle Vernon looked as if he was about to explode, his face red as my hair, only mine wasn't soo ugly. But he didn't say anything else than "Good bye then" to Harry, not very gently but still. I knew why. He was still staring carefully at the wand in Mr. Weasley's hand. "See you" Harry muttered, turning away. He was just about to step inside the fire, calling out 'The Burrow' as a sound made us all stop in our tracks. A sound I couldn't quite describe. It was kind of gagging and burbling, something in the way.

Aunt Petunia's scream made me whirl around to face what I hadn't expected to happen already. It didn't took me too much time to notice Dudley kneeling on the floor. Even then he was almost taller than the biggest dog. He had a hand pressed on his throat and for a moment the horrible thought came in my mind that something had go wrong with the twin's creation. It had really looked like he was about to choke himself until something slick came out of his mouth, a foot long. His tongue. I bit my own tongue to prevent myself from bursting out in laughter, forcing my mouth corner's to point down. Aunt Petunia rushed to his side with another shriek, getting a hold of Dudley's tongue, trying unsuccessfully to wrench it off his mouth while Uncle Vernon only yelled around uselessly. I stole a glance at Harry. He looked quite bewildered until he noticed the toffee wrapper empty on the floor beside our cousin. Then it dawned him.

"Wait! Wait! I can sort it out" Mr. Weasley actually had to shout loudly against Uncle Vernon's voice. He pointed his wand at Dudley, probably wanting to cast a spell at his tongue to make it grew into a normal size, but Aunt Petunia only threw herself on top of her son, trying to shield him. "No really" Mr. Weasley desperately tried to explain. "It's a simple process it was the toffee - my son Fred - it's only an Engorgement Charm - at least, I think it is..." "It is" I agreed with him. He hadn't time to reply however Uncle Vernon got a hold of a china figure and threw it with full tilt at Mr. Weasley. Fortunately he ducked right in time to let it flew behind him inside the fire. I raised my eyebrows. "Oh oh, Uncle Vernon is out of control" I exclaimed causally.

"Now really" the ginger-haired wizard spoke again, getting seriously angry. "I'm trying to help" But Uncle Vernon only took another figure from the table.

"Harry! You go already" Mr. Weasley shouted, dodging the figure. "I'll sort this out" I firmly pressed my lips together while I pushed the named softly towards the burst chimney as he hesitated to go. His widen eyes could only stare at the steadily growing tongue. Who could blame him for not wanting to miss the fun? It was really eye catching. But finally he stepped into the flames, calling out for 'The Burrow' as Mr. Weasley blasted out an ornament out of Uncle Vernon's hand, causing him to scream in shock. He vanished out of my sight in a whirl of emerald green.

I turned back to the scene, right in time to see a china thing flying towards me. It landed in front of me though before I tensed to dodge.

"He has never been very good in throwing things at somebody" I said, looking down at the broken pieces. I shrugged at them. "Well, shards bring luck..." Just not Mr. Weasley seemed to be reminded of my remaining presence. "Cassie, you go now. I have everything under control, don't worry" Midway he got interrupted by the remote, which was aimed straight at his head.

"Yeah, I can see that" I replied dryly. Glancing over to my cousin or to his tongue, I was able to see it had grown _even more_. "What do you think, how many feet long his tongue is now?" I asked the dodging muggle-stuff loving wizard, not able to suppress the amusement in my tone.

"Cassie! This is not funny!" Apparently he noticed it. "Go now! I'll manage this" he demanded angry. I wasn't quite sure if he was angry at Uncle Vernon who kept going on throwing things at us or at the his sons who were at fault. Or at me? Hm... I rolled my eyes at his commando as a plate flew right pass me, meeting the wall with a shattering sound. "Yeah, I think I'll go." I agreed. Casting one last grin at Dudley ( which he didn't see due to his...long problem ) I went inside the black hole with the fire burning inside it. "The Burrow!" I called out. As soon as I said so, I got caught into a whirl of green flames, my head spinning at the fast turns as I shut my eyes tightly, waiting for the impact of the floor in the Weasley's kitchen.

* * *

><p><strong>Finished! Was it good? Bad? Horrible? Terrible? How is my writing style? Did you like it? Should I continue? Or abandon?<strong>

Oh, so many questions in my mind and only YOU can answer them by reviewing. So PLEASE REVIEW!


	3. Portkey Is Worse Than Floo Powder

_Chapter 3 _ _Portkey is worse than Floo Powder_

Thankfully George grabbed my arm and steadied me. "He ate it, didn't he?" he asked, laughing already with everybody else.

"Oh yeah" I replied with a grin. I looked around. It seemed Mrs. Weasley and the girls weren't in the kitchen. _Good, she would freak out if she knew... _Bill and Charlie introduced themselves to Harry, of course knowing his name as another ginger-haired man appeared out of nowhere at the other end of the kitchen table. I was sure Mr. Weasley had the most furious glare on his face somebody had ever seen.

"That wasn't funny, Fred!" he shouted at his laughing son. "What on earth did you give the Muggle boy?"

"I didn't give him anything" Fred replied with the most evil grin you could produce. "I just dropped it. It's not my fault he took and ate it. I never told him to."

"You did that on purpose!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed, turning bright red. I sat or more slumped down on a chair across the two oldest brothers, my stomach cramped. _Seriously, it isn't good for health to hold back laughter..._

"How big did his tongue get?" George interrupted his fury speech.

"It was four feet long before his parents would let me shrink it!" Mr. Weasley replied, rather to make them feel ashamed than make them roar in laughter.

"It isn't funny!" he shouted over seven people. "That sort of behavior seriously undermines Wizard-Muggle-Relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and my own sons-"

"We didn't give it to him because he is a Muggle, Dad" Fred stopped shortly with the laughing, disgusted. "No, we gave it to him because he's a great bullying git" George continued, turning his head down to me. "Isn't he, Cass?"

"Yeah, he really is" I answered with a shrug, remembering the times he bullied Harry, only because he was smaller and a lot _thinner_.

"That isn't the point!" Mr. Weasley shouted in rage, so loud I was sure the whole house could listen. I had never seen him so angry. Although I understood. Why shouldn't he? He loved everything that had something to do with Muggles, even such Muggle snobs like the Dursley's. We should have expected him to be furious. However...

"Wait until I tell your mother-"

"Tell me what?" I froze along with the twins. Mrs. Weasley came in the kitchen, frowning at her husband. But before anybody could say something she spotted Harry and smiled warmly. "Oh hello Harry dear" she greeted him like every kind mother would do. That was it why I loved this family. They didn't care from where we come, how much reputation we had or money. They loved us the way we were. I had the sudden urge to hug each of them, but hold myself back.

And if I thought she'd forgotten about Mr. Weasley's outburst, I was wrong. Her eyes snapped back to her husband, narrowed in suspicion. "Tell me what Arthur?" Fred, George and I glanced at each other. 'Oh oh' I mouthed at them. The ginger-haired man didn't answer. At that moment I was sure he hadn't planned to say anything to his wife, no matter how much he was angry at his sons. And me. So it was silent in the kitchen of the Weasley's, while everybody looked at the older man, who in turn just looked nervous.

At least until Hermione and Ginny joined us in the kitchen. They smiled at Harry's presence. I unconsciously noticed how the petite red-haired girl got as scarlet as her hair as Harry grinned back at them. I still waited for an answer coming from Mr. Weasley's mouth as well as the twins did.

"Tell me what, Arthur?" Mrs. Weasley repeated again with a dark, dangerous undertone in her voice.

"It's nothing, Molly" her husband finally mumbled, stammering. "Fred and George only - but I've had a word with them-"

"What have they done this time?" Mrs. Weasley interrupted him. "If it's got anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes-" _Ah lovely Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes..._

"Ron" Hermione was the one who interrupted this time, which I was thankful for. My brain was working with wanting only one goal. Getting the twins out of Mrs. Weasley rage. "Why don't you show Harry where he's sleeping?" I closed my eyes. _That's a lame excuse. _Ron seemed to think the same.

"He knows he is sleeping in my room" he answered, seriously. "Like last-" "We can all go" That he understood. "Oh" "Yeah, _oh" _I mimicked him, rolling my eyes. I liked him, honestly, but sometimes he was really stupid. "Right, let's go Harry."

"Yeah, we'll come too" George spoke as he and Fred followed them out. They pulled me up, but I shook my head as Mrs. Weasley snarled. "You stay where you are!"

"What did they do now, Arthur!" she almost shouted as the kids disappeared upstairs, leaving the twins, their parents, Bill and Charlie and...me. Mr. Weasley jumped and finally and unfortunately explained everything that happened in the Dursley's. The twins glanced at each other, before their eyes turned to me. Those eyes pleaded for help.

I sighed, standing up to stretch myself as if I was about to fight. "And I haven't slept at all" I muttered as Mr. Weasley finished.

"They did _what_?" his wife exclaimed, whirling around to us three. Her eyes blazed, that even made Bill and Charlie cow away. "_You lengthen the tongue of a Muggle boy_ _by giving him Toffee!"_

"Actually" Fred spoke nervously. "We didn't give it to him. He took it by hims-"

"I don't care" I flinched away at her shout. _Okay, I think the only thing that can help here has to see use in here... _"You know, you are not allowed to use magic on Muggles!" She sighed exasperated. She spoke the words slowly and dangerously low, as if she tried to soothe herself with each word. "How many times do I have to tell you to throw all this joke stuff away!"

"Come on, Mom" George said now. "We needed so long for the crea-"

"I don't care!" she shouted again. "To do something like this. To waste time for something like this. _This isn't funny!"__ My keyword...or sentence._

"Yeah, it's impossible what they did, isn't it?" After my words followed a speechless silence. Even Mrs. Weasley face turned back to a normal color while the twins gaped at me. _Funny how a lone sentence can bring up such reactions..._ The others looked rather confused. Of course, why should I betray the ones I called my best friends? In a situation like this?  
>I positioned a dark look and turned to twins, facing my back to the couple in process.<p>

"It wasn't funny at all. Especially at the time you two haven't been there anymore." I texted the identical open-mouthed boys. "It isn't funny at all, when somebody throws plates at you. Or _remotes_." I saw the two were about to choke in their laughter an glared at them. Their faces fell.

I turned to Mrs. Weasley, who was staring at me in confused surprise, not sure whether to be pleased I was on her side or insecure _because_ I was it. "Don't worry Mrs. Weasley" I reassured her with a sweet smile. "I'll make sure they get a proper punishment."

The woman hesitated. "Well...alright..if you say so"

"You won't regret it" I smiled, before I turned back towards the twins. They smiled as well, sheepishly. Mine vanished. "Go upstairs. Now!" I ordered. Seemingly with enough venom to get them obey without complaining. I followed them and grabbed the door knob.

"Where are you going?" Mrs. Weasley asked with little suspicion. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, I'll look what I can find in their rooms to throw away, you know." Mrs. Weasley forehead smoothed. "See you!" I said with a grin at the two oldest brothers.

I went up the steps, stomping extra loud with my feet, a smirk plastered on my lips. _This will be fun_ I thought.

Suddenly a door opened just as I was about to pass it. This time I didn't jump which brought me another smirk. _Back to normal, eh?_ A head popped out with glasses and brown curled hair, the typical know-all face from none other than Percy Weasley.

"Hey Percy" I greeted him with a grin.

"Oh Cassie. Nice to see you" said he. "No wonder it's so loud here again..."

"Yeah, I like you too" I pouted but he just rolled his eyes and turned back to his room. "Try to step lighter, Cassie. It'll help"

"Ah, okay" I continued my way, whereby I didn't stop stomping, grinning at the banging door behind me.

I reached the twins room. I tried to look sternly, pulling my mouth corners down to frown. Perfect. I wished I could have a mirror. With that I harshly opened the door, crashing it at the wall in process. I noticed with satisfaction how both of them jumped. Marching inside with grim expression ( my inner self was actually laughing his face off ) I shut the door close. It was still a waft of the smell bombed in here.

I walked pass the to the window to open it. Neither of the twins spoke so I sat down on the sill with a resigned sigh, turning my head from them since my mouth twitched all the time.

"So..." Fred's voice came up with a slightly nervous undertone. "Your uncle's really thrown a remote at you?" Okay, I couldn't help it. A laugh escaped my lips. I snorted mentally and rolled my eyes at myself. "Ts, as if he could throw something..." I retorted as I jumped on the bed, laying on flat on my back, the twins following suit with a grin plastered back on their faces.

We spent the rest of the day getting downstairs to eat outside with everybody, although Mrs. Weasley had been still angry at her sons, especially as she found another jinxed wand she had wanted to use. Of course quidditch was the main issue at the table since we would go to the end game the next day. Tired and with a full mouth I stumbled upstairs, nearly missing the bed as I wanted to fall on it.

Sleep came over me as soon as my head hit the pillow. And I already knew I would wake up without feeling I had slept at all...

* * *

><p>"<em>Cassie<em>, wake up!" an annoyed voice shook my shoulder, sending me back into the real world. I groaned 50%. The other 50% was yawning. Heaving myself up and away from the soft pillow and comfy blanket, I rubbed my eyes. "What time is it?" I asked Harry. He was sitting on the edge of my bed, looking as tired as I felt, his hair a mess and the glasses on his nose seemed a little crooked. I didn't even want to know what I looked like.

I almost fell over at what I heard. "Come on now. Mr. Weasley said we're already late" "He couldn't expect something else if I'm coming with you all" I got up and went to a quick bath. The warm water seemed to beat down for only a minute. Drying of my curled hair however took a little longer and I cursed myself again for being too weak to cut it shorter.

Changing into some usual muggle clothes I was just about to leave when a thought came up my mind. I glanced at my luggage, pursing my lips before I shrugged. Running up to the trunk, I tucked in the small handbag on my side and jumped downstairs.

"Finished!" My exclaim was greeted with gloomy expressions for whatever reason. Surely it wasn't my fault this time. I frowned in confusion.

"Good morning Cassie" Mrs Weasley shoved a sandwich in my hand. It looked like it was made hastily and was about to fall apart. "It's time to go already. Eat this on your way." she explained, warm yet with an anger bubbling inside her tone. I looked at the twins with a questioning look, but they only shook their head, strapping on their bags. With that they walked out without another word.

Mrs. Weasley glared at their back with narrowed eyes as she kissed her husband on his cheek and said goodbye. "And don't do anything stupid!" Nobody answered.

"Okay, what happened?" I linked my arm with George's, taking a bite from my sandwich, before I had to yawn. "What...did I miss?"

"She took our Ton-Tongue Toffees"

"And threw them away!"

"All of them! We've needed six month for their creation"

"Uh" I made, grimacing as I took another bite. "That's cruel. But you know how to make them. Can't you just easily do some again?"

"It cost us so long!" George whined as if I hadn't spoken at all. "And now they're gone"

"Cheer up" I tried to comfort them as their heads hung gloomily beside me. "If you feel better I can give you some of the green balls..." I tapped my pocket where the handbag was stuffed in. It was already bad enough to wake up in the early morning, but I certainly wouldn't hang around at the World Cup with two depressed best friends. I could say their faces lighten up a bit, so I left them to catch up on my brother.

"Well, as tired as I am?" I asked him as he yawned heartedly. He rubbed his eyes cutely behind the glasses, nodding wordlessly. _How adorable_ I smiled warmly, before

"Dude! Yawn is contagious..." I half said/yawned, covering my mouth. "Maybe I should count the times we're yawning" I pondered boringly, slowly getting tired again. Okay, quidditch was a cool sport, but tramping all the time...not. Ron, Harry's best friend, who walked beside him, yawned.

I held up a finger. "One"

By the time we seemed to be in the very inside of the forest I was counting twenty-three. The sun, which was about to come up, couldn't be seen inside her, since the canopy of leaves didn't let anything shine through. Nobody talked anymore, we all needed to spare our breath for the walking. Climbing up a hill needed some muscles and all we had was from quidditch...and there we didn't move our legs much. I took deep breathes, not wanting to sound like a panting dog.

"Over here Arthur! Over here son! We've got it" a sound startled us from our silence as we looked up. We had nearly reached the top hill, where two figures stood against the sun, which made its warm way through the leaves.

"Amos" Mr. Weasley shouted back with a smile to which I concluded they were somehow befriended. Oddly enough he had an old boot in his hand.

"You're almost late Arthur. Only five minutes left" I took a closer look at the one who spoke. He had brown hair with a beard, scrubby and was as tall as Mr. Weasley. Their clothes looked similar to each other, old-fashioned and plain funny. Beside him was another boy, seemingly my age and no one else than Cedric Diggory. I'd wanted to sigh exasperatedly, but only a yawn came out.

"Okay, all together it's twenty-four" I informed everybody who wanted to hear or not. Harry looked up quizzically. "I've yawned that much? Impossible..."

"Hm.." I frowned in thought. "Oh, I've must counted mine, too. Well, then.." I shrugged. Harry just smiled as we stopped walking.

"I'm sorry" Mr. Weasley said as well all arrived. "Some had rather little sleep" For some reason he looked pointedly at me.

"Eh?" I played dumb. "I have no clue who he could mean." I exclaimed. Mr. Weasley rolled his eyes.

"This is Amos Diggory" he introduced the man to us. "He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?" he asked, looking more at Fred, George and me.

With one twin on each side of me I could tell by the mere body language that they weren't really thrilled to see him. And I could very well assume why. Cedric was the quidditch captain and seeker of the Hufflepuffs. They had won against us last time as Harry fell of his broom. I blamed the Hufflepuffs that he got injured, although it wasn't exactly their fault. But still...I frowned.

They called him the 'golden boy' of his house. First I thought because he had golden-blond hair or something in the way, but in the end it seemed to be his nickname because he was _such a nice boy_. How sarcastic. And his hair wasn't gold or something, but a brown color, neatly combed in contrast to my red curls, which were untamable. His eyes were a mix of blue and grey. Which were placed somehow directly on _moi_ I had the feeling.

"Yeah...I think we do" I replied nonchalantly since the twins didn't answer.

"Hi" Cedric greeted, looking around us all. We greeted back, though our three was a mere nod to him. I saw him smile slightly at me, but chose to ignore it.

"Mind you" Amos spoke, peering around at us all. "looks like I got off easy..." he laughed good-naturally. "All these yours, Arthur?"

"Oh no, only the ones there" Mr. Weasley replied, pointing at each at the Weasley boy's and Ginny, who stood further back beside Hermione.

"This over there is Hermione, Ron's friend" the ginger-haired man spoke. "And Harry, another friend..."

"Merlin's beard! Harry?" Amos interrupted with a gasp. "Harry Potter?" I looked over to an uncomfortable black-haired boy. "Er - yeah..." he answered a little nervous. _He would never get used to the spotlight on him. _I thought with amusement.

"Ced's talked about you" Amos Diggory said. "And about Cassandra Potter, was it? He told us a lot about her" _Did he?_

"Yeah, that's me" I made myself felt and I _thought_ I heard my little brother sigh in relief. But it wasn't over.

"Merlin's beard!" Amos exclaimed again. "You _are_ Cassandra Potter. Ah, Ced told us all about playing against you two last year. I said to him - I said" he spoke excitedly. He was one of those who quibbled all the time without waiting for an answer.

"I said 'Ced, that will be something to tell your grandchildren, that will...You beat Harry _and_ Cassandra Potter!'" Harry and I looked at each other, remaining silent since none of us seemed to know what to say.

"Hm, I don't know if I should take this as a compliment...or an insult.." I murmured at the tensed Fred and George. Now the two were scowling again. I couldn't blame them though.

"Harry fell off his broom, Dad" Cedric said quietly, looking embarrassed. _As if this statement would make it better then..._ "I told you ... It was an accident... "

"Yeah, but _you_ didn't fall off, did you?" Amos roared, slapping his back. "Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman ... But the best man won, I'm sure Harry and Cassandra would say the same, wouldn't you, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don't need to be a genius to tell which one's the better flier!" Okay, the tension was so thick I could cut through it, better I couldn't describe the atmosphere around us. The twins scowled even more, if possible, and Harry looked helpless, seemingly not knowing what to say. I looked around at them all. "How tactless..." I muttered to myself.

"Well, it's a minute off ..." Mr. Weasley intervened quickly, looking at his watch. "We'd better get ready... " They all scrambled around the old boot Amos Diggory had placed on the ground. Harry and I just stood there clueless, before Mr. Weasley was nice enough to declare what on earth was going on.

"You just need to touch the Port Key..."

"Wait, _that's_ the Port Key?" I interrupted disbelieving.

"Yes" was all he replied at our faces. "Come, you just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do.." After exchanging a look and a shrug, Harry and I got down on our knees. Suspiciously about what Mr. Weasley said I only touched the boot with the index finger for two reasons. One, the boot wasn't really something to touch and two, I wanted to find out if he said the truth. With a mere finger touching a Port Key...hm.

Mr. Weasley counted down, looking at his watch. "Three, two, one."

It happened too fast to really tell what exactly happened. All I knew was that we suddenly swirled around, our bags and bodies banging against each other until...

"Alright, let go now!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed through the harsh wind around us.

"Are you kidding?" I retorted incredulously.

"Now!" I jerked my finger away, which was constantly glued on the boot before, feeling myself floating around the air until I fell on the ground. Hard on my back.

"Ouch" I muttered to myself, laying motionless for a moment. I didn't dare moving since my logical self told me I had probably broken every bone I had. But it wasn't that worse than I thought it would be as I sat up. _Okay but this was definitely worse than Floo Powder_ My back was aching slightly as I was about to stand up. Well, was about until a hand came into my view.

"Are you alright?" a certain voice of a certain Hufflepuff student spoke right above me.

"Nope" I replied cheerful, jumping while ignoring his hand. He took his hand back with a small chuckle to which I only spared an raised eyebrow before my attention got drawn to what was exactly in front of us.

"Welcome to the Quidditch World Cup!" Tents over tents were placed where it could be placed in the most various colors you could get in a place. Most of the colors were green and red, obviously, but there were also other colorful ones, exotic. That was how a place would look with people all over the world coming here. I stared in awe at all the flying brooms and the people in odd clothes.

"I will gladly except your welcomeness"

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, this was it. Hmm, not that long than I've wanted it to be. Well, it will be more in the next chapter when you review.<strong>

**SO PLEASE REVIEW!**


	4. Quidditch oh Quidditch

Chapter 4 Quidditch oh Quidditch

We walked through the tents until we found our reserved spot.

I expected to see a large tent for us to stay until the game started, but instead there was...nothing. Confused I looked at Fred and George to my side, who in turn looked at their father.  
>Mr. Weasley dropped a little bag at the clear space, which looked close to a tent bag. Dangerously close.<p>

Indeed it was one I had to find out as ten minutes later Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George and I struggled with tent poles and guy ropes along with the one, whose fault it was in the first place. The one and only Muggle-fanatic Mr. Weasley.

"It shouldn't be so hard" the latter explained. "Muggle's do this all the time."

"Wonderful, it seemed they can do more than us then" I retorted as I hammered with a hammer (hmm) on a needle stake, so the tent wouldn't blow away by a strong wind. Tough it looked like it would be just another summer day with the sun risen in the horizon up to the cloudless, blue sky. Still, just to be sure, but it was hard work.

Sure, somehow in the movies it seemed to be so easy to build up a tent or make fire. At least in the movies Dudley was allowed to look. Yeah, they never show the hard part. And with me never having camped before (the Dursleys wouldn't allow us such a fun and Grace was too scared to do so...) it wasn't any better.

"Why can't you use your wand again?" I sighed, annoyed at the fifth time I hammered on the ground instead on the stake.

"Anti-Muggle security!" Mr. Weasley declared with a beam for an, for me, not understandable reason. He said it with way too much enthusiasm. Ginny grumbled something beside me. I only caught the word 'bloody', but that was enough already. I straightened up on my knees, looking down at her. She blinked up at the sudden shadow. I pointed an accusing finger at her.

"Mr. Weasley!" I called out. "Ginny said a bad, bad word!"

"Oh shut up!" Ginny giggled.

"Ts ts ts" I made, shaking my head. "Is that a way to talk to much older and wiser people than you?"

"Wiser?" Ginny laughed. "Tell me everything you know. I'm sure it only needs two minutes." My jaw dropped down to the floor and even Fred and George gaped at her.

"Since when did you get such a sharp tongue, little sister?" Fred asked, before both him and his brother rolled on the ground, laughing their heads off. I had a hard time to keep a straight face. Their laughter was always contagious. But after all I had been insulted here!

"Yeah, you should keep your tonguee in you mouth, young miss" I, still mockingly, gave her a lesson in a tone that could compete with McGonagall's whenever she caught me. Well, in fact always when she talked to me. I got back to work as Ginny merely grinned. "Those third years in these days..." I grumbled and ignored the twins as I continued with work.

Finally, _finally_, we'd managed to get up the tent (mostly because of Harry's and Hermione's instructions) without it collapsing.

"Alright, wheew" Mr. Weasley spoke, wiping some sweat away from under his hat while his face shone in proud as he overlooked the tent. I copied his move as I noticed sweat trickling down my temple. _Yuck, I hate sweat. It's so..sweaty.  
><em>

Although it took us so much time, the tent looked very small for all of us including Bill, Charlie and Percy, who were still expected to come. I hoped, we wouldn't have to get crashed together. I wasn't really the type of person to get all touchy-feely.

"Let's get inside" the ginger-haired man said, obeying his own order.

"Eh..." I glanced at the two identical boys. _How the hell are we supposed to get all in? _I said to them with my look. But they seemed rather unconcerned as they followed Mr. Weasley, disappearing from my sight. I half-expected them to break out in complains, considering the fact how tall Fred and George were, but nothing came.

Harry and I exchanged a puzzled look before I shrugged and stepped inside. _What could possibly happen? Yeah I could collide with the others and we would all fall flat on the face, entrain the whole tent with us, so it would collapse and we would have to start again for two bloody hours..._

My jaw dropped. The room inside was way too big to match with the outsides of the tent. That should explain it, shouldn't it? Canvases separated the tent in little rooms. So there was a kitchen, dining room with a table and stools, a bathroom and two sleeping places, obviously one for the boys and the other for us girls. At least I hoped so.

Mr. Weasley rushed in and out of the rooms, checking everything I guessed, while talking something about from where he got this magical tent in the first place and blah blah blah, nobody was listening anyway.

And Fred and George sat on the table, their feet stretched out on the table, making themselves comfortable while Ginny and Hermione squealed in delight about something that was out of my view. Harry wasn't less surprised than me. At least his jaw dropped as wide open as mine, his green eyes behind the glasses scanning the room in awe. "I love magic" I thought I heard him say as Ginny's head pecked out from another room.

"Come on Cassie, you can drop your bag here" she said with a broad smile which I had to reply as I followed her inside. Pushing the 'door' away I looked around the room. It wasn't very big with only three beds and a table, where Hermione and Ginny had already placed their stuff on. The room itself was painted in comfortable orange colors with a carpet laid on the ground, a warm brown. Other than that there was only a cat pan for Hermione's cat Crookshanks. It looked rather old-fashioned, the room not the cat, but I didn't mind.

"Alright..." Mr. Weasley spoke as we all turned up back into the main room it seemed to be with all the wood pillars I didn't remember setting up. "Now that we get settled in I suggest we'll need water" He had a kettle in his hand, which looked like it had been useless for many years.

"There is a water place here" Ron said, looking down at the map we'd gotten as a Muggle checked our arrival. "It's on the other side of the field."

"Very good" Mr. Weasley handed over the kettle to his son. "Why don't you, Harry and Hermione go and fill this up for us then and the rest of us will get some wood for fire?"

I grimaced as the twins, Ginny and I walked inside the forest, which was almost right beside our tent. "Seriously, waking up in the early morning before the sun comes up and working? _I thought we have holidays_!" I complained at everybody who wanted to hear or not.

"Oh cheer up" George replied.

"It's better than with your relatives, isn't it?" Fred added, who already had some twigs collected. I sighed. "...Yeah I guess so. But beware, I have no idea of which wood you need for a fire!"

We gathered branches and twigs together in the edge of the forest, me just picking randomly while the others more professionally, while chatting about pointless issues. Sometimes we would meet other people doing the same thing as us and I thought I recognized several ones, probably some students of Hogwarts I had briefly seen. Like someone you'd caught a glimpse of in a crowd.

We went back as we agreed it was enough wood with each of us having an armful. Mr. Weasley was outside the tent, speaking with a man I had no interest to meet, so we all just dropped our collection and dallied through the other tents, Ginny in the rear.

I didn't know where to look first, at all the various shops with souvenirs (mostly in green and red colors for Ireland and Bulgarian) or the people with totally other styles than we had. Indian was the most colorful land I found out as we passed some tents, China, Australia, Mexico...every land was represented here you could say. Even Tajikistan!

"Oh" I exclaimed out at all the fliers above us. "I wish we would have brought our broomsticks, too" Fred and George looked up at this. "We could have seen everything better then"

A sudden movement behind me and for a brief moment I had really the feeling I was in the air, flying like always in Hogwarts. Though those times was when I played quidditch against other houses. This was almost peaceful despite all the sounds and chatters of people in foreign languages. I blinked and looked down, only to see that the twins had hoisted me up on their shoulders.

I grinned widely at them. "You're the best, guys!"

"We know" they replied together as we-they walked again, slower this time. Glancing up I saw my view was a little over the tents. The sight was breathtaking. Okay, the wind was a little sharp up here to my surprise so I had some difficulties to breathe against the wind, but still. If I couldn't have guessed how many people were here for the end game I could see now. Thousands of thousands tents. You imagine I had always thought camping was boring. But now...it would still be.

One side caught my eyes. It was practically full of green and no other color. _Hm, those there are definitely for Ireland_ I thought somehow dumbly. _I wonder what will happen if I walk through it with a Bulgarian scarf._ Smirking I let my eyes wander freely around.

"Look" Ginny's voice reached me. "There are _Harry_, Ron and Hermione" My smirk widened at the excitement in her tone, which was mostly because of my dear brother. She had a crush on him, that was obvious for everybody who knew her and not. My grin remained as I followed her pointed finger and, indeed, I spotted the familiar black shock of hair from Harry with his ginger-haired friend and the bushy-brown haired know-it-all. And that wasn't meant in a mean way.

I winked them to me. But to my _utter disbelief_ they really came and we turned our way back to our tent. I pouted, getting some hair in my mouth from the mocking wind. "But I hadn't even the chance to look into the shops!" I choked out the flicks of red from my mouth.

"Don't worry, Cass" Harry replied, blinking against the sun with a smile. "We've brought some things." Before I could ask what Hermione forestalled me-

"Isn't it dangerous up there with all the fliers?" I was little high with Fred and George being so tall, but I shrugged anyway. It was worth the sight.

"It's okay" I waved off. "Nothing will happen" A blur of a grey-haired man passed right beside me with his broomstick, the wind knocking my red curls back. I sat there frozen and the twins stopped walking. "Or maybe it will?" I gave in as my two best friends sat me down on the safe ground. I linked my arms with them as we set off to our tent again, talking about, hm what do you think? Yeah right, quidditch...

* * *

><p>Eventually we made our way to the end game in the evening. Darkness shadowed over the endless tents as the sun set down, only small strikes of orange and red painted the cloudless sky quite a bit. I listened to the conversation Fred and George had with their brothers, who cared to join us <em>after<em> we built up the tent. They told them about the bet they had made with Ludo Bagman. I decided to be, once in my life, quiet. That's something to be held for the afterworld. I, Cassandra Potter, was quite in a conversation with the twins.

Doesn't happen often.

Fred and George seemed to notice that too, as they emerged by my sides.

"What's with you-"

"-being so quite"

"Cass Cass?" I scoffed. "Cass Cass, really? That's a bad choice of nickname" They just waved it off.

"Seriously-" Fred started.

"Wow, that you would say this word sometime was something I imagined after my life..." I commented.

"-you are not yourself when you're so quite" George continued for his brother, who pouted playfully.

"Well, I just wanted to prove you that I _can_ be quite" I said smart-assly. They just stared. "And I was pondering what you two will do if you loose this bet" I lowered my voice. "With the joke shop and all..."

"Oh don't worry" George gave me a wink.

"We'll win this" Fred declared. "Or don't you think Ireland will win but Krum'll snatch the snitch?"

"Of course I do" I replied, sarcasm dripping in my tone as we continued walking through the path in the forest with all the others, excitement chatters in the air. It was very infectious and soon we found ourselves laughing and singing along with thousand other Ireland fans. I had the, of course, Ireland flag wrapped around me, which Harry bought since I couldn't.

Bill, Charlie and Ginny all had green rosettes on. All in all you can say we were true Ireland supporters. Though Ron had bought a little figure of Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker, who could walk up and down his hand and glare at everything green and gold.

After a while of stamping the way, I spotted the stadium. And it was gigantic. Enormous. Super-sized. BIG! I was so totally in the shadow of the stadium. Never been in a professional game before, made my agitation rise till the point I was hopping up and down on my feet while I was staring at it.

We went to the nearest entrance (yes! there were more), which was already full of people, who were trying to squeeze into the stadium altogether. I clasped on Harry's arm to keep him from parting from us.

"Prime seats!" the witch said with a glance at our tickets Mr. Weasley had given her as we arrived. "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, and as high as you can go" Oh man, I fear the worst. The crowd was moving on and up into their places to the left or right. I could barely see the stairs, but unfortunately got a good side as we reached them. I noticed they were carpeted into a royal purple color as I glared at my biggest enemy in the whole wide world.

Stairs!

"Uh, don't tell me we have to go up to the top!" I frowned as Mr. Weasley stepped forward to the case.

"Of course! Up there you will have a better view than down here" he only replied with a broad grin. Jeez. I already hated those in Hogwarts, even if they were moving by themselves which I found very amazing and annoying at the same time. I didn't need more in, I think nobody understood it really, H-O-L-I-D-A-Y-S!

I narrowed my eyes at the first step, but Fred and George just laughed at my expression, dragging me with them. So I stepped up and up and up and up until I found myself at the top of the staircase with the highest point of view. And I stopped thinking about my tired legs and panting.

About twenty seats were placed in the box we had here, so I assumed we had to share this box. Bleeeh, I hate sharing! Just kidding...I really hate it. Since we were alone at the moment, we, of course, took the front seats. I made myself comfortable between Ginny and George, looking down.

You might say, I wouldn't be afraid of height, being a quidditch player and all, a good player if I may so express myself (hehe), but it was very high up here, so my heart skipped a beat as I stared around. Wizards and witches, colorfully dressed in green and red, were under and beside us, it was an astonishing sight. At my eye level were the three goal hoops in all their golden glory. In fact the whole field seemed to radiate a golden, mysterious light...how eerie.

Looking at the others I saw Harry talking with a house-elf. I snorted. He had an odd type of who befriended with. Though house-elves were quite nice. Especially the ones, who worked in the kitchen. The box was filling with people, until it was almost full. Keyword almost. I watched with a smirk as Percy jumped up everytime someone came in until, finally, the Minister of Magic showed himself.

Cornelius Fudge. Dum dum duuum. Okay, not really amazing, considering how ugly he looked. I'm not mean! Just telling the facts for you. I grinned as Percy bowed low to him as if he was some kind of god. Unfortunately, or fortunately for all of us but him and maybe Mr. Weasley too, his glasses slipped off his nose.

I barely controlled my laughter. But his pink, embarrassed expression made it hard. Not that I really tried. Only at the moment, where Fudge was greeting Harry and me friendly. Alright, I will take the ugly back.

Listening to him talking with a Bulgarian behind him, who apparently couldn't talk _our_ language, my good mood ceased as he suddenly called out. "Ah and here's Lucius."

The named walked towards the last remaining seats exactly behind Mr. Weasley, who visibly tensed, along with his what I assumed to be his wife and children. And with children I mean Draco ( the blond, pale, youngest boy of the family ), Sylvia ( my former good friend, if not best ) and Dylan ( first love and black eyes piercing me into my head ). I avoided his eyes while his father greeted the Minister, who beamed at him.

"Ah Fudge" he held out his hand for him to shake it. "How are you? I think you've met my wife, Narcissa (ha! I was right)." _His_ eyes intimidated me too much to listen to their conversation anymore, so I turned my back to them, watching other people. Watching other people was fun. Especially when they were embarrassing themselves while thinking nobody was watching. Alright I'm just babbling because I want to distract myself so leave me alone!

"Good lord, Arthur" I still heard Lucius cold voice after a while. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box? Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this much"

"Wow" I said loud enough for them to hear, even with my back to them. "You really manage to get someone appreciate the silence" Beside me the twins, who were glaring daggers at the teenagers of the pureblood family, snickered audibly.

Mr. Malfoy's eyes bored at the back of my head, but he couldn't say something as Fudge, who was too dumb to notice anything, talked again. "Lucius has just given a very generous contribution to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Arthur." The named tried his best to smile instead of grimacing. "He's here as my guest."

"How-How nice" Mr. Weasley stammered, his mouth pressed into a tight smile. The pale blond-haired man only nodded back to him, before seating himself directly behind  
>Mr. Weasley.<p>

"I pity your Dad" I said in the same loudness than before to Ginny and George, mostly. Mr. Weasley sent me a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. Okay, it's official. I hate the Malfoys...well, most of them. I didn't dare looking at Dylan's direction, so I payed _all_ my attention to Ludo Bagman, who came into the box.

"Everyone ready?" he asked with an excitement I previously thought only children could have, when Christmas was coming. "Minister, ready to go?"

"Ready when you are" Fudge answered cheerfully. Ludo took out his wand and rested the tip on his own neck, raising his voice over the top of thousand witches and wizards in this stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen" he started. "Welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" His booming voice was answered with cheering spectators. Flags waved around, showing for whom they were.

A huge blackboard, I didn't notice before, wrote by an imaginary hand. _Bulgaria: 0 , Ireland: 0._

"And now! Without further ado" Bagman continued with a large grin. "Allow me to introduce The Bulgarian National Team Mascots!" One side of the field, which was waving constantly red flags (I only spotted one green between them), roared louder than the others.

I leaned over to see what was coming. "I wonder what they brought with them" Mr. Weasley said, before he suddenly cleaned his glasses on his robes. "Ah! Veela!" I raised my eyebrow at his beaming face. I didn't know it could shine this bright again.

"Veela?" Harry furrowed his brows in confusion. He turned to me. "What are-?"

"No idea" But now I could see them. Veela floated to the field. And they were women. Beautiful women indeed, all of them. Almost inhumane with the golden hair and white pale skin like mine, except it looked damn beautiful on them. The music started and I saw every single one of the men population being in daze as the Veela danced gracefully around.

Suddenly Harry jumped up and hoisted his feet up on the wall of the box. It seemingly looked like he wanted to jump out.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione asked from his side before I could, though I could tell why. Fred and George looked like they wanted to do the same, rather to jump at the Veela or end their lives by falling down I didn't know.

Thankfully Harry seemed to get out of his whatever and blinked at his bushy-haired friend. Ginny giggled as she reached over me to hold mockingly on George. I grinned at all the other men in the box and couldn't help but look at Dylan to see _his _reaction.

He wasn't even looking at the Veela. _He isn't even looking at the Veela._

Instead his onyx-like eyes were looking directly into mine. The world seemed to dissolve around us. Seriously I know exactly how cliché that sounds, but it was really like that. Really, really. I didn't notice the music anymore. I did notice nothing but his eyes.

Sometimes when I was so bored I read those romance novels Trisha always had in her bags, especially when we had History of Magic, I could vomit at the trash they were writing when girl simply looked at the eyes of the boy.

But seeing it by yourself made it different. I found it very easy to 'fall' into Dylan's eyes, into the darkness and even _then_ feel comfortable...

Angry yells of male however snatched me out of _my _daze and I quickly looked away, despising myself for this weakness. Honestly, it was four years ago. Would it never stop? Obviously not.

I saw the Veela disappear to the side of their field and immediately understood the disappointment of the men. They didn't want them to stop.

"And now" Bagman spoke up again. "Kindly put your wands in the air... For the Irish National Team Mascots!" Cheers erupted loudly as a green-gold flash of light came zooming to the field, like someone had sent a spell to it, though the flash was way too big to produce from a wand I believed.

A shamrock rose up to the sky above us, which had seemingly darkened, making the 'mascot' even more amazing-looking. It floated above us and something seemed to rain down on us. I squinted my eyes and caught one of the 'rain drops'. Turns out, it was in real a heavy gold coin. Applause and cheers came up as the flash?, no leprechauns, landed on their side of field.

"And now" Bagman said for the third time, he didn't seem to be the man for different uses of words. "Ladies and gentlemen- Welcome...The Bulgarian National Quidditch Team!"

Figures in scarlet shot towards the field on broomsticks, faster than any flier I had ever seen...not that I had seen much, but anyway. Bagman started to call out the player.

"Dimitrov! Ivanova! Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! Aaaaaaand-Krum!"

"That's him! That's him!" Ron exclaimed. I narrowed my eyes, trying to find out which one he was, but they were moving in a blur.

"Where?" No one ever answered.

"And now (I rolled my eyes) greet- The Irish National Quidditch Team! Presenting-Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! Aaaaaand-Lynch!"

Flashes of green on broomsticks came from the other side of the field, circling over the many boxes, while everybody with a green flag or rosette cheered loudly over the boos of the Bulgarian fans. I cheered along with them until another flier swept onto the field, this time claded only in gold.

"And here, all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa!"

I saw him kicking open the box with the four balls in them. The Quaffle, the two Bludgers and the Golden Snitch burst out of the box and up into the air, Mostafa following them.

One piercing whistle and the game started.

"And they're off!" Bagman commented. "it's Mullet! Troy! Moran! Dimitrov! Back to Mullet! Troy! Levski! Moran!" He could only call their names! How lame, probably because they were so fast he couldn't speak out more. I would have made it better. Definitely. Don't look at me like that.

Blurs of green passed before my eyes. The Chasers were playing so professional together like they were only one person divided into three, it was absolutely amazing. I noticed they looked all straight ahead at the hoops, their goals, and passed the Quaffles to the other whenever they needed, without even looking at them! Like they new exactly where the other Chaser was at the moment.

Okay, they were flying very close together into a line, but still. I would need to look at the Chasers first to beckon them. Of course, I couldn't compare myself to those amazing players at the moment.

Troy, the Irish Chaser, just dropped the Quaffle exactly where Moran was, I at least thought it was Moran, who chased forward, living up his position. He passed it back to Troy, who-

"TROY SCORES!" I cheered loudly with the spectators, applauding. "Ten : zero to Ireland!"

"What?" I thought I heard Harry yell, but my attention got to the shamrock, which rose up to the air for a moment, It glittered for the while and I swore I could tell they were directing it at the Veela, who were gloomily watching them at the other side, still sitting.

By the time it was thirty : zero to Ireland as it started to get interesting. The Bulgarian Beaters got a little more violent, whacking the Bludgers at the Chasers more tactfully, preventing them to goal anymore until-

"IVANOVA SCORES!" Thunderous applause roared up as the Veela rose from their seats.

"Finger in your ears!" Mr. Weasley shouted at the guys as the mascots started to dance to the music. After a moment of Ginny and me laughing our heads off at Fred and George's expressions, yes they had their fingers in their ears, but their eyes were wide open, the game started again, Bulgarian possessing the Quaffle.

Bagman spoke out the names of the Chasers and I was thankful for the first time. I could only catch blurs of them, so it was quite fortunate. "Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova-oh I say!"

The Golden Snitch was viewed. Krum and Lynch, the two Seekers, shot through the Chasers and down. My eyes followed faster down their direction, trying to find the tiny, golden flier, which meant so much in this game...but it was nowhere. And I immediately understood. Slytherin were doing that often with us.

"It's feint!" I yelled out as soon as I realized. But it was too late. Krum pulled his broomstick up at the very one meter above the ground, but Lynch fell off and to the ground. The crowd gasped as if from one big mouth. Well, it wasn't like Lynch could have heard me anyway.

"Fool!" Mr. Weasley groaned.

"It's time-out!" Bagman shouted as mediwizards ran towards the fallen Irish Seeker, kneeling down to look after him.

"Idiot!" I commented uselessly as the Irish side groaned as well now.

"He'll be okay, he only got ploughed!" Charlie tried to reassure Ginny, who was leaning over beside me, her face pale in shock.

"Which was Krum after _of course_" I added, leaning over as well. I clapped loudly as Lynch stood up on his feet again and up to his broom, mimicking the other cheering Irish fans.

Mostafa whistled again loudly and the game continued.

130 : 10 was it for Ireland and you could tell who was the better team here. Unless you are stupid. Which you're of course not. I hope. However, the game became very violent at the moment, naturally, the Bulgarian Beaters got frustrated.

But it was the Keeper, who fouled the next time. He elbowed the Chaser Mullet, who had the Quaffle at the moment and it got penalty for Ireland. The leprechaun formed something in the air for the Veela.

"Ha ha ha!" I read loud, causing the others to laugh. But they had to stop and put their fingers into their ears again as the Veela angrily started to dance, although Bulgarian hadn't scored. Okay, doesn't make sense, but whatever.

I smirked as the referee landed in front of them, machoing around (if that was even a word) and Bagman commented, amusement clearly in his voice. "Somebody slap the referee!"

Laughing, I watched as one of the mediwizards came up and kicked Mostafa hard.

Mostafa, noticing how he embarrassed himself in front of thousand people, demanded to get the Veela out according to the commentator. Two Bulgarian player, the Beaters, flew towards the referee, seemingly arguing.

"The Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov and Vulchanov, landed on either side of Mostafa and began arguing furiously with him, gesticulating toward the leprechauns." I looked towards the Irish mascots. They were gleefully forming the words 'Hee Hee Hee'.

The referee didn't budge, instead he gestured the beaters to fly up again; however as they didn't, he blew into the whistle twice, announcing.

"Two penalties for Ireland!" Bagman shouted and the red flagged population groaned in protest. _Now_ the two Beaters got up to their brooms and _again_ the game started.

Somehow it got another foul from the Bulgarian side and that was when the Veela showed their true nature. They were racing towards the leprechauns, throwing fire at them from their mere hands it seemed. And they definitely didn't look so beautiful anymore.

"And that, boys" Mr. Weasley spoke in a wise tone. "is why you shouldn't only go for looks!"

"Hear Hear!" I commented, raising my hand as if I had a cup of Firewhiskey. George elbowed me playfully. The game didn't stop, even with the fight below. No, in fact Moran, the Irish Chaser, scored again. I cheered loudly, not expecting the shamrock to appear very soon.

Though my cheer along with hundred of others couldn't be heard by the shrieks the Veela gave from them. Minister wizards, small figures from my view, ran towards the mascot groups, trying unsuccessfully to separate them.

The game continued. Dimitrov was in the possession of the Quaffle and the Irish Beater, no clue who it was, whacked a Bludger at Krum with full force, hitting him straight on the face.  
>Ooohs and other kinds of groans erupted from the Bulgarian fans.<p>

"I think his nose's broken" Ginny exclaimed, grimacing.

"Well, at least it doesn't look so hooked anymore" I replied, watching the Seeker smearing his blood over his face as he tried to wipe it away. To my surprise I didn't hear any whistle. Looking down I saw why.

"Ah haha Mostafa's broom is on fire!" I moved everybody's attention around me as I pointed down to him. Indeed he was trying to douse the fire at his tail.

"Look at Lynch!" Harry exclaimed excited. "He's found the Snitch" And it wasn't a feint this time. I saw the Irish Seeker diving down in a blur. I jumped up with the twins, cheering loud for the Seeker, but Krum was hot on his tail, despite his injury.

They were flying shoulder on shoulder towards the ground and I caught a glimpse of gold near the ground.

"Bloody hell, the Snitch knows how to not get caught easily" I said as Lynch crashed on the ground again, groans of spectators following him.

"Where's the Snitch?" Charlie bellowed, his eyes searching wildly around. And there it was. In Krum's fist. He rose gently up to the air, holding his arm high. Had Ireland lost now? Nope.

The blackboard showed it. 160 : 170 for Ireland.

"IRELAND WINS!" Bagman yelled and deafening shouts came out from the lungs of hundred wizards and witches. I stood there, a little dumbfounded, not realizing it very fast. It happened too fast, just to say to my mitigation.

But then I was swept into two pairs of arms as Fred and George danced around me. "We won the bet! We won the bet!"

And they won it.

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><p><strong>Alriiight, here is it. Sorry for the late update, BUT I'm back again.<br>**

**And I promise, next chapter will be more Dylan interaction, so chiiilll. How was this chapter anyway? Care to tell me? THEN REVIEW! Please, I beg you. Begging, Beggin youuu...  
><strong>

***cough* alright, so please. Review and make my day.  
><strong>


	5. Meet Me Halfway

**Well, well here's Chapter 5 for you. As I ( I think ) promised you, you will meet Dylan here...more personally. :) I won't spoil.**

**I don't own Harry Potter. All belongs to J.K. Rowling except for my OC's (unfortunately). Though I hope you will like Dylan...:D  
><strong>

**And special thanks to the reviewers, since I get so few -.- : To ThePhantomismyLove, Georgetteb321 (glad I'm making this good :D), kitskat (as I said, Cedric/Cass will come a little bit later :P), and thisisit (anonymous: I like new fans. Hope you liked the last chapter :) ). **

**Here you go. **

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><p><em>Chapter 5 Meet Me Halfway<br>_

"Cassie! Cassie, wake up! This is urgent!" How many times was it now somebody woke me up like this? Groggily I rolled on my back, squinting my eyes against the sudden brightness of a lightened wand.

"What is it _this _time?" I asked drowsily. Standing between Ginny's and my bed was Mr. Weasley. Weren't we supposed to sleep how long we wanted after the match? The look of pure terror on his face stopped me from that asking out loud. Something was wrong.

"Ginny wake up, we have to go" he shook Ginny awake, completely overhearing me. I opened my eyes properly now, wide awake. "What is it, Mr. Weasley?" He turned sharply back.

"Death Eater's are here" This certainly shook the rest of sleepiness out of me. "_What_?" I jumped out of the damn comfortable bed, which practically screamed at me to lay back as the coldness of the room made me shiver. _Death Eaters? What are they doing here?_

"Dad?" Ginny's slumberous voice got me to look down. She had a 'what a heck' frown on her face.

"Come, get your wands and out into the forest. No, there's no time for this!" he almost yelled panicky at Hermione, who had reached for her clothes. Just now screams reached my ears together with the sound of explosions. I felt the blood drain from my face as my heart almost, only almost, drowned out the noise from outside. _What the hell-_

I quickly grabbed my wand from under the pillow, the only place I could think of since I hadn't a nightstand here, and ran out from the room, completely forgetting to put on a coat.

Well, I had soon to regret it. All I had on was a thin shirt with pyjama trousers. The sudden chilliness outside pierced into my bare arms, but I, fortunate or not, hardly noticed. My eyes widen at the scene before me as much as I wanted to shut them close.

Tents, once so beautiful decorated in various colors, fed on the flames or just collapsed down. Smoke was everywhere, definitely not coming from a cozy fireplace we'd made not a long time ago, though it seemed so to me. I coughed as my lungs got filled with the black fog. The sight was terrible.

And the people. Hysterically screaming and running like hell was after them. Probably it was. I stared frozen as a tent not far away burst into flames. My brows furrowed by themselves. _How... _Then I saw them. Them.

Hooded figures, all in black cloaks, walked in a orderly line together like soldiers I had seen sometimes in television, their wands high in front of their faces, casting spells on tents_, __where people could probably be still inside._ Their faces were partly hidden by the hoods, but also from silver masks. _Death Eaters._

Pure dread filled my insides, my heart pounding in my ears loudly I almost didn't hear someone shout at me. "Cassie!" I snapped out from whatever frozen trance I was in and slowly the unfamiliar feeling of panic built up in me. I whirled around. Fred and George came running towards me from the tent, still in their pyjamas as well, though they were smart enough to wear coats over them.

Just now I realized I'd walked unconsciously away from the tent. "Come on" Fred grabbed my arm as I still didn't move an inch. "Dad says we have to go to the forest" He walked up to the others and George, who was with Ginny, holding a securing hand on the petite girls' arm, whose face had visibly paled.

I followed them numbly, stumbling over the tiniest things.

"What is happening here?" I asked as soon as we reached them and I found my voice. Thankfully Harry was with Mr. Weasley. Bill, Charlie and Percy emerged out from our tent, fully clothed and wands ready. How they managed to change so quick was a miracle to me.

"Death Eaters are attacking the Muggles here" he replied, his eyes roaming over the place. "You have to go to the forest. Quick!" I wouldn't have let me tell this twice if I hadn't noticed the 'you' meaning. I looked back to him as Ginny asked.

"What about you, Dad?" fear was evident in her voice and I saw George placing an securing arm over her small shoulders.

"I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!" With that he sprinted after his sons, who were already approached the next group of Death Eaters. "You lot - get into the woods and stick together!" he called behind him.

So we ran. It couldn't have been a long way since our tent was practically beside the forest. But since everybody else was running towards it as well, it was getting quite crowded. Shoving and dodging I tried my best not to loose sight from Harry. But the best wasn't always enough.

"Cassie!" I heard the shouts of my name as people directed me away, parting me from the others. _Great, really great_. All I could do was trying to get away from the tight embrace the crowed gave around me, _unwanted,_ and so I broke violently out of them.

Luckily enough I hadn't lost my grip on my wand. It would have been hard anyway to loose it since I was holding on it as if it could save my life...how ironic. _Cassie, now is not the time to play smart ass. Do that in front of your friends.. _I thought. _Do I always have to talk to myself when I'm totally scared. _I ran where I could see the green leaves of the trees.

Eventually reaching the edge of the wood it wasn't so filled with people anymore. I circled around, desperately trying to find anybody I knew. I didn't like being alone. Especially not with a racing heartbeat and the feeling of being watched. Last time I checked, being alone caused me to get killed...

Sighing, I did what I'd always do when I was sunk. I ran inside the shadows of the trees. "_Lumos_" I whispered to my wand, holding it down t know on what I was walking. The tip of the wand gave a small shine of light like a torch. I didn't know if I went in the right direction. Just doing something. That should be my motto.

It was after a while until I stopped, panting and shivering at the cool breeze on my sweat skin. _Jeez, I'm sweating more than I've ever done in quidditch..._ I shoved my tangled red hair from my face as a twig snapped not far away from me. I froze.

"Who's there?" I automatically called out, stupid enough from me, holding my wand higher.

I heard a chuckle and to my shock it came from right behind me, not from my front. I whirled around, my hair tickling my bare arms as I did so. Suddenly I felt very exposed. Whoever it was, enjoyed this. And by the deepness of the sound it was definitely a male.

"A girl shouldn't be walking alone in the forest..." the voice spoke, closer now.

I immediately recognized it as my heart skipped a beat. And I wasn't scared. "...especially not in the darkness"

"Show yourself, Dylan"

He sighed. "And here I thought I could have some fun" I smirked slightly.

"You can only have fun if I want you to" Another chuckle reached my ears. "So true..." with that he came out from the shadows, stepping into my light. I was kind of proud it didn't go off at my fear. I could almost slap myself on the back. Yes, I would do that some other time.

His appearance hadn't changed much over the summer despite the fact how taller he got. They were there. The same black eyes, deeper than anything else. When I would be close enough I could make out the difference of the iris and the pupil, only barely but still. And you'd have to be very close then. Strands of ebony black hair covered his forehead, a nice contrast to his skin.  
>He only had a dark shirt on, but didn't seem to mind the coldness around us as much as me since he was holding his coat in his hand.<p>

A smirk graced his lips. "How did you know it was me?" he asked in a casual way as if he was talking about the weather. Which wasn't very shiny by the way. I wrapped an arm around me waist, the other still holding the wand, the only light here. His own wand nonchalantly trapped between his slender fingers made me speak.

"No one else is stupid enough to speak to his victim _before_ he attacks. Other than you..." I trailed off slightly and I swear I saw the corner of his mouth twitch slightly as he took a step closer. I didn't move. Strangely enough I didn't feel any fear, which might be stupid, since he could attack me every minute. If not I even felt safer now...

"What makes you think you're my victim?" My eyes moved rather pointedly to his wand.

"Oh..._this_ is just for the case I need light, but since yours is already kind enough..." I rolled my eyes. This conversation, if it actually was one, was getting nowhere I believed and the wind brushing me every two seconds didn't help at all.

"Then what do you want?" I asked, daring myself to turn my back to him so I wouldn't have to look into his eyes. I all so casually walked away from him, remembering something. "Unless you're not here to insult me you probably shouldn't be here. I'm _sure_ your father wouldn't appreciate it, if you talk to a half-blood lik-" Further I didn't come as with a sudden movement I was stopped by a tight grip on my arm.

He spun me around and _faaaar_ too close to him. I could feel his body warmth under his shirt, tempting and irresistible. Me being me I would have melt into him, letting his arms surround me...away from the cold breeze...if I hadn't seen his hard gaze on me. Honestly, those black eyes were blazing in anger as I glanced up innocently, trying to catch control on my breathing. And my heart.

"_Cassandra_" he spoke in a low tone. Chills ran down my spine and I felt slightly dizzy in my head. _Damn, I hate this affection he has on me..._ I firmly kept my tongue between my teeth to prevent myself from blurting out something totally ridiculous. "You know I don't care what Father says...about this" I only stared at him. What should I understand under 'this'?

His eyes narrowed just a fraction. "You _do _know, don't you?" I struggled for a reply as he grabbed my other arm in his warm grip, too. Though the coat was between his fingers and my skin. "And I've _never_ insulted you" Hm...that was true.

"What do you want, Dylan?" I asked quietly, maybe a little dumb sounded. His hands slowly left me and I instantly missed them as I felt the coldness come back. I looked down to the ground, entwining my arms around me, reminding myself why we had to break up...

_I rushed outside, my nails digging into my palms as if the pain would make the tears threatening to spill out go away. I just wanted to be away from his and those...those Slytherins. _

_"_Cassandra!_" he shouted. I gritted my teeth. Even now cozy shivers would ran down my back. "_Cassandra, _wait" I only quickened my pace, crossing my arms as if to show I wouldn't listen. Of course he caught up to me shortly.__  
><em>

_He closed his hand around mine gently. "_Cassandra_, what's wrong?" I ripped my arm away, only more furious about his soothing voice.  
><em>

_"What is wrong? You're seriously asking me what is wrong?" His eyes looked at me in confusion, those black eyes I could still fall into, those eyes, which looked like they would burst sometimes with the fire, burning just under the surface, those eyes...which were laughing mockingly just a moment ago. "Do you even know what you just did to my friends?"  
><em>

_"Who? Those Weasl-"  
><em>

_"Yeah, Fred and George" I interrupted him icily as I saw the disdain in his face. "You used to know them" I sighed and my shoulders slumped down at his blank expression. "What happened, Dylan? You were used to be friends, you and the twins. And now this!" I pointed vaguely at the big castle, more at the door I had burst through after the scene. He didn't answer, just watching me carefully and with something else mixed in his expression.  
><em>

_I threw my arms up. "I can't believe this" I turned, only wanting to go straight to my dorm and hit my heard against the soft pillows.  
><em>

_I knew I had to. I had to. But everytime I simply thought about it caused a stinging pain in my heart. I would froze at it, waiting until it left. Though it'd never leave. Again I felt his enclose mine, large enough to cover my whole hand._

_"Don't be angry with me, _Cassandra_" There was this tone and I knew without looking, his eyes were pleading, pleading for something I couldn't forgive. I took a deep breathe to keep my voice from shaking.  
><em>

_"No Dylan" I slowly turned back. His eyes widen just a little bit. He stretched out his hand to my face. Impulsively I wanted to back away, but shook inwardly my head at myself. Dylan wouldn't hut me. Never.  
><em>

_I closed my eyes as his fingertips grazed my cheek, wiping tears away. Tears I didn't notice falling. Warm body heard came too close, engulfing me as he stepped forward.  
><em>

_"No" I whispered.  
><em>

_"_Cassand_-"  
><em>

_"NO!" I pushed him away, preventing him from coming any further. "Don't come closer!"  
><em>

_"What-"  
><em>

_"I don't want to see you anymore" There I said it. He didn't move, probably staring at me. But I avoided his eyes.  
><em>

_"You're leaving me?" I opened my mouth. And shut it. Like a fish, unable to answer. I turned away again, furiously wiping over me tear-strained face. My shoulders shook at the suppressed tears. A hand touched my back lightly.  
><em>

_"If you leave me...can I come with you..."  
><em>

The weight of something falling in my shoulders startled me out of the memories. I looked up at the sudden warmness, noticing the coat Dylan had on me. Scents of leaves and forest reached my nose as I unconsciously pulled the cloth tighter around me.

I met his eyes and gave a small smile. "Thank you" I said genuinely. He held my gaze for a moment from which I couldn't look away. His chest rose slightly as he took a deep breathe and smirked, getting back to his 'usual' self.

"So _Cassandra..." _I ignored the chills as the sounds of snapping twigs resound through us, interrupting whatever he wanted to say.

Dylan snapped his head sharply around, squinting his eyes at something behind him. I glanced at the direction as well, but couldn't see anything. But I knew, twigs don't snap by themselves...

...someone was coming

* * *

><p><strong>OOkay, that's kind of a special chapter. You meet Dylan here and a little hint of past. I know, I know this is a CedricOc fanfiction and it will all come in time. Don't worry.**

**Unless you don't review and I won't continue this story, getting depressed because I didn't manage it and...mhmm. **

**So Please review!**


	6. Oh Shit, It's Voldemort's Mark

_Chapter 6 Oh shit, it's Voldemort's Mark  
><em>

_"So _Cassandra_..." I ignored the chills as the noise of snapping twigs resound through us, interrupting whatever he wanted to say._

_Dylan snapped his head sharply around, squinting his eyes at something behind him. I glanced at the direction as well, but couldn't see anything. But I knew, twigs don't snap by themselves..._

_...someone was coming_

* * *

><p>I hoped I wasn't lost again.<p>

I had been walking for a while now, not knowing if it was the right direction or not. _Wonderful Cassie, first loosing the others, then running into _him _an__d then get lost again. Jeez, this can only happen to me, can't it?_ I sighed, frustrated as I stumbled over some roots I couldn't see. I didn't dare lighten my wand, fearing Death Eaters would find me. Call me a coward, but who wants to fight against a group of well trained dark wizards? I wouldn't appreciate this, Gryffindor or not.

The distant sounds of explosions faded slowly and thankfully I couldn't hear the screams of Muggles. Screams of torture. Though I could still hear them in my mind.

I shuddered.

As if on cue the warmness of the coat instantly engulfed me. Confused I looked down at it like it could declare itself to me. Unfortunately it didn't.

_"Go _Cassandra_" he suddenly said. I absentmindedly noticed his body tense under the shirt as I blinked._

_"What? Who's th-"_

_"You must go. Now"_

_"-ere?" I continued as if he hadn't spoken. He didn't answer. "Dylan..."_

_"_Cassandra_, go" Eventually his black eyes turned to me. "Please" Alright, whatever it was, it had to be pretty serious. Dylan pleaded very rarely...Still, I crossed my arms in a manner of pure stubbornness._

_"No! Tell me, what's coming? Or who?" I demanded, though I must have looked pathetic with the oversize jacket around me. He sighed exasperated. _

_Rustling could be heard not far away from us now. I frowned at the direction. It came from beside us._

_Trying to see something in the darkness I squinted my eyes, completely forgetting, I still had my wand producing light. Pretty stupid of me, since now they - whoever they were - would have it easy to find me._

_Footsteps. Someone was walking closer. _

_I didn't realize him moving forward until I got pushed back. Startled I let out a yelp and struggled to get out of his grip, but he placed his arms on either side of my head, coming so close I had to back away, when something hard and solid hit my back. Looking behind me I saw the trunk of a tree. 'Wonderful'I thought annoyed. 'Now you really got yourself in some shit'  
><em>

_I was trapped. He looked at me, breathing down my face. I pressed further into the tree, feeling every little bark of the trunk.  
><em>

_"Listen to me" I automatically scoffed at him, more of a reflex whenever this sentence came. Though it was quite hard with his breathe washing over my face. He smirked slightly as if he knew what I thought.  
><em>

_"Death Eaters are coming here" I frowned, trying to hide the fear that hit me suddenly. Images of hooded figures lighten up the tents, their faces as cold as their masks...I shuddered.  
><em>

_"Don't worry" I blinked up to Dylan's eyes. What?  
><em>

_"They'll not catch you if you just listen to me" Pff.  
><em>

_"Eh...no" I pushed his chest away, resisting the damn urge to let it linger there. "I don't care what you say" Surprised from my outburst he stepped back. I was literally fuming. Why-could-he-read-me-so-easily? Simple, he was together with you for two years, smart ass.  
><em>

_"I don't care at all about you" I added, just wanting to catch control on this conversation. He frowned. His eyes scanned down, resting on my chest. Now, he wasn't a pervert. I knew he looked at the pendant of my necklace hanging there. He was making sure I was still wearing it. Well, that's another story.  
><em>

_However, I pulled the coat around me, turning away. "Fine!" I sighed over-dramatically to hide my dilemma. "I will go" ..._

Shrugging, I chose to care more about my surrounding. Trees, seemingly bigger than before, towered from the ground, which was covered in dry leaves, making it so much harder to walk silently.

After a while, where I got steadily annoyed with the situation -nothing else could be heard than my own heart beat, I couldn't hear any animals and the walk was getting quite tiring for my legs- I spotted a light between the trunks of trees. It swept back and forth, resting here and there while it came closer.

Instantly I backed away, hiding behind a tree. I held my breathe. As I said, I didn't really want being captured by Death Eaters anytime soon.

Another light appeared, joining the first. _Damn_ I was kind of trapped with them stamping rather loudly towards my hiding place. Like a mob of lions surrounding the prey, like a snake, waiting for his future food to move, like...okay I better stop.

"Hello? Is anybody out there?" This time it wasn't Dylan. No, but the voice was still familiar. _Mr. Weasley._

"Ah, Mr. Weasley" I exclaimed in alleviation, jumping out from behind the tree. He and the other person recoiled back and spun around. I noticed the other man was none other than Mr. Diggory in all his old-fashioned glory.

"Cassie! There you are" Relief crossed through the ginger-haired man's face too, before he quickly got serious again. "You have to got to the others now. It's dangerous here."

"I noticed" I replied dryly, carefully walking towards them while lighten my wand. Now I wasn't _so _scared anymore.

"What do you me-?" Mr. Diggory started, but Mr. Weasley simply cut him off.

"It doesn't matter. Go straight into this direction. You'll meet the others safely there. Hopefully" he pointed at the way he came from. I looked at the depth of the darkness, before back to him.

"What about you?"

"I will come soon after you" Mr. Weasley answered in a what might have been a reassuring tone. "We just have to check these parts of the wood."

For one moment I considered telling them were the Death Eaters were, but then it would mean Dylan would be caught...doing what? Actually he didn't do anything but saving me. Maybe that's why _they_ would hurt him? It suddenly crossed my mind. What if they had noticed me, the Death Eaters? And because he saved me...

A cold hand grabbed me, constricting my chest as fear crept up. What if they tortured him like all the Muggles? No, they wouldn't. His father, Lucius Malfoy, was a Death Eater after all as well and a high one, if you could say it like that. No one would lay a finger on him. That he wouldn't let them anyway was beside the fact.

"Alright, I'll go" I quickly obeyed. Passing by them I saw Mr. Weasley shooting me a quizzical look alà since-when-are-you-listening, but I ignored it. I hated to be alone anyway.

* * *

><p>Slowly hearing voices and agitated chatter, from which I assumed weren't Death Eaters this time, unless they liked talking about themselves, I fastened my step.<p>

Light, warm! light I might say, coming from flickering torches could be seen in the not very far distance as I broke into a run, eager to see the others -Harry- safe and fine. Reaching the last tree, which blocked me from them, I panted and _sweated _again. I walked slower forward, only to be greeted by women, children, boys, crying children, girls...all in all too much for my eyesight.

This must have been the place saved from the Death Eaters. I only strode on the outlines of the crowd, searching for two ginger-haired identical ones and messy black hair. The first ones I found soon enough, they were quite eye-catching in the muggle clothes between all the robes.

Even with the Anti-Muggle security thing Mr. Weasley had chatted on and on about, only few stuck to the rules when it came to clothes.

I hurried towards them, seeing they had Ginny with them and somebody else...Cedric Diggory. I frowned in surprise, but it got dismissed at the very same moment. Why do you ask? You mean, because he looked handsome with the messed up hair falling down to his stormy grey-blue eyes? You would definitely have sounded like Trisha, if you'd asked that.

It was, however, because I couldn't see Harry nor Ron nor Hermione anywhere. I would like to repeat myself. _I couldn't see Harry anywhere!_

...

Damn!

"Where's Harry?" I blurted out, a little sharp perhaps, though their backs were facing me. They had jumped together like one person and whirled around.

"Cassie!" Ginny exclaimed relieved, her pale face brightened a bit, but only a bit. She ran to me, throwing her petite arms around my waist under the over-sized coat. I placed an arm around her, turning to Fred and George.

"Did you see Dad?" Fred asked hopefully before I could repeat my question. I frowned yet again. "Yeah, I saw him a while ago with your father" I looked to the brown-haired guy and his stare became evident. He nodded.

"Are they alright?" I blinked at him. Yeah, I had expected him to ask for Mr. Diggory but for _Mr. Weasley_, too? But then again, Hufflepuffs were said to be too friendly for their own good.

"They seemed healthy to me" I replied warily, ashamed I hadn't thought about them probably being injured.

"Where is Harry?" I turned back to my main issue. "And Ron and Hermione?" Ginny's grip tightened a bit as she buried her face into my shoulder.

"We've lost them" she answered with a tiny, quivering voice. I blanched. My eyes widened. Probably I should have known it already from the sickening feeling in my gut, which was spreading out very slowly and painfully. But I first thought, it had been because of the fear of being attacked by Death Eaters.

"Harry's missing?" I asked tonelessly while my eyes snapped up to Fred and George. They weren't joking. They weren't even looking at me. Of course they weren't. This would have just been sick. The joke, not the fact they avoided my eyes.

"We can't find them" a voice behind me spoke. I whirled my head back, my neck cracking in protest. Mr. Weasley came from the same direction I was walking before along with Cedric's father. He was panting slightly.

"He is nowhere to be found as well as Ron and Hermione" Worry was stretched clearly over his face and I bit down another 'I noticed!'.

"We have to search for Ha- them!" I corrected myself. Of course we had to find all three. But my mind was focused on Harry's lovely (cliché) face, injured with scratches caused by Death Eaters, who all just did this for their own bizarre fun.

"Surely we'll find them - but not _you_. You'll stay here in safety" he added sternly, mostly to me since he saw my pondering and probably terrified face. I must have showed how I was planning where to search first.

I set to protest. "But Mr. Weasl-" Something stopped me though.

A light green flash. Shooting upwards to the sky. It stopped and a wave of blinding light went over us all as a skull appeared. It was surrounded by the same eerie green light and something was gliding from his tongueless mouth. A snake.

Gasps could be heard as after a dead silence, I hadn't even noticed while I observed the odd thing on the sky, frozen on my spot, screams and loud chatter broke out again. I looked around only to see frightened expressions everywhere. Looking at the others I noticed they visibly paled, the ugly thing reflected in their eyes while the green light let them look like they were ill.

_Obviously everybody knows here what's going on...except for me again _"What is that?" I asked out loud.

Mr. Diggory's head snapped as he turned to stare at me. "You don't know what this is? _You_?" he asked incredulously. "That's the Dark Mark..." _suitable... _"...The Mark from You-Know-Who"

My eyes widen up to the sky. "That's Voldemort's Mark?" I only half-noticed the flinches around me.

"Quick Amos" Mr. Weasley spoke hastily. "We have to go there" Just then Harry came back into my mind and a dread feeling formed inside me again.

"Wait Mr. Weasley-" I reached to grab his sleeve, just as he was about to go. My hand landed heavily on his arm and suddenly everything vanished from my sight.

Damn, we apparated.

_Did I really said, Port Keys and Floo Powder is horrible?_ Well, that changed it now drastically. I stumbled to the ground, feeling, I'd vomit every second and clutched of all things on the oversize jacket I still had on.

"Cassandra!" Mr. Weasley shouted furiously. I saw his shoes as in front of my eyesight as he pulled me up to a standing position. I barely noticed he used my full name, which had to mean something...though I didn't know what because he'd always preferred 'Cassie' for short. Like everybody who befriended with me. _Everybody but Dylan_

"What on Merlin's beard do you think you have done?" he yelled at me. I cowered away a little. His red face, which could compete quite good with my hair, wasn't that funny-looking anymore.

"Well..." I started hesitantly even though i didn't know exactly what to say. I-wanted-to-search-for-Harry-by-apparating-with-you-to-wherever-we-are-now didn't sound very good in my ears.

"You could have seriously been hurt, Cassie" I relaxed slightly. "Apparating is not a-" A sudden sound of shouted spells rescued me from a lecture of the Muggle-things-lover. He stopped dead.

My eyes caught flashed of green and red, shooting out of wands from wizards and witches in dark robes. For a moment I couldn't hear my heart anymore before it started beating faster in an unnatural speed. _Death Eaters?_

Mr. Weasley spun around at the noise and automatically pushed me behind him. I tried to catch a glimpse over his shoulder. Obviously they weren't aiming at us or we would have been at the ground by now.

No, their wands were aimed at three human shadows, attached together with their heads low as they tried to dodge the spells. I couldn't recognized them until a flash of red passed them far too close for comfort - I doubt it was a Warming Spell or something like that - and saw the familiar round glasses emulated the light with the untamable black hair.

"Harry!" I shouted as soon as I realized who he was. I rounded Mr. Weasley, who, too, noticed, what was going on.

"_Stop!__ That's my son!"_ For a funny moment I really thought he meant Harry, but no. The other two shadows were Hermione and Ron. As expected. "Stop! Stop! What are you doing?"

I pushed past the wizards, who had stopped startled at Mr. Weasley's voice, hearing his footsteps behind me. "Harry!" I called my brother again as I reached him, searching for any hint of injuries.

Relief crossed through his face as he noticed me and I pulled him into a quick hug (just to be sure), my heart beat slowing down as my near panic-attack slowly dissolved. "Cassie" he muffled on my shoulder as he patted my back awkwardly, before he tangled himself out of my death grip. At least a small smile warmed his face.

"Ron - Harry" Mr. Weasley called out as he reached the little group, shaken, but relieved. "- Hermione, are you alright?" Bur before anyone could answer, a cold voice forestalled the,-

"Out of the way, Arthur" Mr. Crouch's pale face came into my view as well as the others and now I realized, stupid me, they were wizards from the Ministry. Not that it was a relief. The scary look on his face made me wonder if the Death Eaters masks were a better sight or not.

"Which of you did it?" he snarled, his wand pointed at Harry, Ron and Hermione. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?" I looked up at the thing, which was still planted on the once so beautiful sky and said, quite snorting. "What? You don't really believe one of them has done this?" I first indicated at the three teenagers, mostly at Harry, and then at the Mark.

Mr. Crouch's snapped his hand -and wand- to me, his sharp eyes boring into mine.

"We didn't do that!" Harry spoke out before he could say something however. "We didn't do anything!" Ron agreed with his best friend while he stared at his father. "What did you want to attack us for?"

"Don't lie, sir" Mr. Crouch practically yelled, slightly crazed if you'd asked me. "You've been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

"Barty" a female voice called him. Judging by the first-name terms they had to be close. "They're kids, Barty, they'd never have been able to-"

"Where did the Mark come from, you three?" Mr. Weasley asked quickly as Mr. Crouch set to snap at the witch. By now I glared at the Minister. How could he accuse mere teenagers? He was out of his mind, definitely.

Hermione pointed shakily at a spot behind her. "There was someone behind the trees...they shouted words- and incantation-" I looked over at the place, my heart beating up as if someone was still there. Maybe there was. The Ministry wizards all turned towards the direction, except for Mr. Crouch, who didn't seem to believe anything what would come out of Harry's, Ron's or Hermione's mouth anyway.

Their wands high, they squinted at the darkness, but then the witch shook her head. "We're too late. They'll have disapparated by now."

"May not" to my surprise I spotted Cedric's father not far away from me. But of course he had apparated with us. "Our Stunners went right through those trees" he continued, his face scrunched to a thoughtful expression.

"There's a good chance we got them..." He went up to the spot Hermione had pointed out, either ignoring the 'be careful's he got or took them as an encouragement to go on.

He disappeared into the darkness, so I could only tell he was still alive as he shouted out. "Yes! We got them!"

"Now really" I talked out in surprise. I thought Death Eaters were smart enough for an escape. Hmm...

"There's someone! Unconscious! But - blimey..." he seemed commune with himself.

"You've got someone" Mr. Crouch said in an unbelieving tone. "Who? Who is it?"

Footsteps came towards us with snapping twigs here and there and I tightened my coat closer. Now who was the culprit, who conjured something so ugly, I believed he or she or it made _it_ definitely wrong somehow.

...

It was an elf.

* * *

><p>We reached The Burrow after walking through Ottery St. Catchpole, the sun rising in the now yet again beautiful sky up. Though we had came from a professional quidditch match (a very good one), instead of the usual chatter we might have had, it was silent all the way. Of course, because last nights events didn't give us much sleep, however, it didn't seem to concern anybody.<p>

And even with my legs aching and my eyelids heavy, threatening to fall down every minute, I had to think about the Mark on the sky. All in all after Mr. Diggory had come up with the elf, it turned out to be Winky, the elf of no one else than Mr. Crouch. Quite embarrassing, like Cedric's father said. She had Harry's wand in her hands, which I didn't notice he had lost at all, and with some spell from a Ministry witch it seemed the last spell coming out from Harry's wand was the one, that conjured the Mark. Duuuuuuuuuuuuuum. Now that was quite a surprise.

I didn't know why until now, but suddenly Ludo Bagman popped out of nowhere, requesting to know, who did the Mark. Mr. Crouch turned cold and as a punishment for his elf Winky, poor her, he would give her clothes. Might have been nice, if it hadn't meant for an elf to be freed. That actually might have been good too, if elves would like to be free. However, it didn't seem so much to Hermione's disapproval.

That was it. And the Mark didn't disappear for some reason.

The Dark Mark. It kept coming up my mind, spooking in there. If it only wasn't so ugly... It was Voldemort's Mark. Billy told us, it would always appear whenever death happened near by his hand. But nobody died...I believed.

I sighed._ I might as well just write Sirius a letter about all this, he could ponder with me wherever he_ _is._

As expected Mrs. Weasley was standing at the door in all her night robes and purple slippers, pale and bloodshot eyes...hell, she was worried.

"Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!" She ran forward to us, clutching a paper -the Daily Prophet- in her hands. "I've been so worried, Arthur, _so worried_..." As I said.

I watched as she threw her arms around Mr. Weasley's neck, clinging hard onto him. The news paper fell out from her hand as it got limp and fluttered to the ground. Swiftly I reached for it, smoothing the wrinkles out to read the front line.

_'SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP!' How they're able to get the news around so fast will be a miracle to me forever_ I thought as my eyes scanned through the first page. I didn't get far though as Mrs. Weasley got hysterical.

"You're alive..._oh boys_..." Eh? As far as I knew I was pretty sure to be a girl together with Hermione and Ginny and I was about to point that out, but she declared herself.

By pulling Fred and George into a big, bone-crushing hug. I suppressed a laugh as their heads actually banged together. "Ouch! Mum, you're strangling us-" George started, but his mother simply interrupted him.

"I shouted at you before you left!" she sobbed between her words and I smiled slightly at her motherly love. "It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough OWLs? Oh Fred...George..."

Can you blame for being jealous right now? The twins looked down at their mother partly with annoyance partly with fondness. Can you blame for being jealous at the two...simply because they had a mother? I distracted myself with looking down at the paper again. Well, all I could tell about it, was that the Ministry wouldn't be very happy about what the Prophet wrote.

Mr. Weasley tried to soothe his wife to get her grip from the twins, who grimaced uncomfortably by now. We relocated our little party in the cozy kitchen, where Mrs. Weasley immediately mothered over us, giving us snacks and tea and, for some, Firewhiskey. But not for me. Pout.

I stretched out between the twins as I gave Mr. Weasley the paper. "You won't like what is says. Be warned" I uselessly commented, but silenced at the sandwiches in front of me.

"I should seriously write a letter to Sirius" I muttered to myself while munching on a bacon sandwich. Harry, though, heard me and quite hopefully looked up at Mrs. Weasley.

"Mrs. Weasley, Hedwig hasn't arrived with a letter for me, has she?" _Ugh, I knew something was missing._ I thought back at Privet Drive.

"Hedwig, dear?" she answered, not really listening. "No no, there hasn't been any post at all today" Harry's face fell into disappointment, but he gave Ron and Hermione a look alà lets-talk-out-of-earshot. I swallowed my sandwich in wonder, pondering what was so important, but then again, was it my business?

Yes, it was.

"Cassie?" My eyes snapped up to my little brother, who stood at the doorway with his two friends. _The Golden Trio_ I thought distractedly, while raising my eyebrows in question. Yep, those two -Hermione and Ron- were the best friends Harry could ever have, always staying by his side.

"Could you...help me with my stuff?" he asked hesitantly as I didn't say anything. I blinked in surprise, before narrowing my eyes. Something was up in his mind. He never asked for help if it was something like packing. Fighting against a traitor of the family or Voldemort himself was something else.

So staying up I made my way to them, half hearing Mr. Weasley and Perce standing up too, to go to work as we walked the stairs to Ron's and Harry's room.

"So, what's up?" I asked. "You know I'm no good at helping with your stuff, don't you?"

Harry smiled slightly at this. "Really?" But the amusement vanished from his face as soon as it came.

"There's something I haven't told you" he started, fidgeting with the hem of Dudley's oversize shirt.

I settled/plumped down on the window sill, already suspecting something that would knock my socks off.

"On Sunday morning I woke up...with my scar hurting again"

"I thought your scar only hurts when _he_ is close" I shot out what came in my mind, feeling quite numb or blank. Like I couldn't register really what he just said. "Did I miss him or what?" _Damn, I shouldn't have let him alone with those stupid_ _relatives._

"No" Harry simply replied, looking nervous, whether because of my lack of reaction or the lot of reaction from his friends. Hermione was babbling about books (of course) and I believed I heard the name 'Dumbledore' between the lines -yes, she was really smart- and Ron blanched, stammering about something I couldn't decipher.

"I'm sure he wasn't in Privet Drive" he reassured us. "But I was dreaming about something, him and Peter- Wormtail. I can't remember all of it now, but they were plotting to kill...someone" _You and_ _Me _he told me with his eyes. The fear and worry set it clear.

Voldemort and Wormtail were plotting Harry's and my death. How lovely.

I frowned, looking our from the window, not bearing to see the desperate? -could desperate be the right word?- expression in his eyes. Being the pathetic me.

Something was going on. Of course there was. Harry's dream _about_ Voldemort. Harry's scar hurt _because_ of Voldemort. The Dark Mark _from_ Voldemort on the sky... a little connection (or a rather big one) was there, wasn't it? But he couldn't possibly be alive again, could he?_ Or wasn't he even dead? _No, he had been dead and he was still. No one could bring the dead ones back. No one and nothing. Except for the Philosopher's Stone. But that was another thing.

That didn't make sense, unless...

My head snapped back to Harry, who was sitting on Ron's bed. "Did you see him?" Harry rose up, startled at my words. Apparently he hadn't believed me to speak again.

"Who?" he asked back, quizzically as he looked up to me.

"Voldemort"

"Don't-say-his-name!" Ron practically yelled at me, but I waved him off.

"Oh leave it! Did you see him in your dream, Harry?" I explained my question further. "I mean, how did he look like?" _Wow_ I thought. They believed I was crazy, or at least I interpreted Hermione's and Ron's faces so. But Harry actually furrowed his brows in concentration.

"No" he muttered after a long -and quite tense- silence he didn't even seem to notice. "No, I couldn't see _him_ before I woke up, but - but he must have been there...I heard his cold voice...maybe a little weak, but still...he is...something...somewhere..." Harry spoke, his gaze glazed over as he stared a hole in the wall beside me.

"OK, stopp!" Hermione's voice boomed around the room, startling everybody (Ron actually flinched so hard, his whole body shook). The brown-haired girl shivered, a horror-struck expression on her pale face.

We silenced again. "That's so weird..." I muttered slightly to myself.

"Why were you asking if Hedwig had come, Harry?" Hermione suddenly asked out of nowhere. "Were you expecting a letter?" I listened with only one ear.

_Hell, Harry's scar hurt. Somewhere out in the world, Voldemort is trying to kill us_ I thought, frowning. _I have to write Sirius...how many times have I suggested this now? Maybe I should write Dumbledore, too?...Better not, but...not yet._

"Harry" I said in a commanding voice like a good old sister would do. "I want you to go straight to Dumbledore next time your scar hurts when we're in school. He has more knowledge than any library including the one in Hogwarts" I said with a side-glance and smirk to Hermione.

Harry was looking up to me, little hope brightened his face. "Now, go down to Fred and George and tell them to play quidditch with you and the rest of the boys" I proposed. "Your worried faces could make somebody sick, seriously" I noted dryly.

Well, at least I managed a smile from the three as Harry rolled his eyes but jumped up with some new energy.

"That's good" Ron agreed. "Bill and Charlie will play, too-" Hermione shook her head at him.

"Ron, I don't think, Harry wants to play quidditch now. He's tired...we all need to go to bed..."

"No, I'll go" Harry protested. "Let me get my Firebolt" He hastily dugged through his trunk dug through his trunk. The bushy-haired girl sighed a 'boys', before she seemed to remember me being a girl.

"You won't play, too, will you?"

"Nope" I replied, jumping from the window sill to go out. "I'm going to write a letter to Sirius..." _And Grace..._

* * *

><p><em>Hey SiriusPadfoot__,_

_guess what happened in the World Cup? I bet you know already...Ireland won! The game was amazing, although Krum caught the Snitch, the bloody Bulgarian Seeker.  
><em>

_You know, the game had probably been more violent and dirty than anyone Gryffindor and Slytherin ever had. At least at the times I've watched and played. Guess, I have to over-trump that somehow.  
><em>

_But it was funny, you know. They say, veela are beautiful and kind-hearted...if you saw them in the game as the mascots for Bulgaria, you would never think that again. They set the Irish leprechauns on fire and the referee's broomstick!  
><em>

_I didn't have time to laugh, though. The game still went on. Imagine, a fight between mascots at the ground and the game in the air. That's one of the times I wish I would have more eyes.  
><em>

_However, I think the rest you know from the _Daily Prophet_ if you read it. The Dark Mark was at the sky above us, made by Harry's wand. Now, don't think it was him, who did it. He'd lost it, according to him.  
><em>

_But I don't believe it. Harry loosing his wand and then Voldemort's Mark produced from it? This must have been planned by someone, it would be too much coincidence at once, wouldn't it? Thought so.  
><em>

_And then his scar. He told you, it hurt, didn't he? I wonder what it means. Can't be coincidence, either, can it? Mr. Weasley said, the Death Eaters all flee and disapparated after they saw the Mark. Sadly enough I wasn't there to call after them 'COWARD'.  
><em>

_Oh, and everybody is okay here. We got back safe to the Burrow. So need to worry. Right now, they are all playing quidditch in the garden and a Bludger is flying right towards me.  
><em>

I ducked and glared at the culprit. "Frederick Weasley!" He grinned.

"Sorry, was on purpose" I glared at him, before turning back to the letter.

"Come on Cassie, it gets boring here with Ickle Ronniekins" George yelled over. I grinned at Ron's reddened face.

"I'm not finished yet" I replied nonetheless. The twins groaned, annoyed.

"Why does girls have to always write so much?" Fred mused loudly.

"Well, somehow they have to annoy us men" Charlie replied as loud as his younger brother. They all burst out in laughter while I rolled my eyes.

"That was uncalled for!"

_Luckily, due to my reflexive reflexes I managed to dodge it, but now the boys are slandering about the woman population, saying I'm writing too much. Blasphemy! So I better be off and kick their arses. Pardon my language.  
><em>

_By the way, Harry is totally in love. Yep, with the Firebolt you gave him. I can see it the way he doesn't give it to anyone...not me.  
><em>

_I will tell you when the next Hogsmeade weekend is when I'm back in dear old Hogwarts. Don't ask how I know, I have my ways. Will you be able to come? I would hope so for your own health.  
><em>

_Cassie  
><em>

* * *

><p><em>Dear Grace,<br>_

_yes, I'm fine. Perfectly fine. I haven't caught a cold nor broke my legs or arms and my hair isn't burned. We are all fine actually. So you can stop sending Howler's to the Ministry because of the secruity and bla bla bla.  
><em>

_Believe me, the Death Eaters were totally harmless and unwanted. But nobody died or something. It was really okay...alright now I'm lying. It was the absolute horror.  
><em>

_And to make it worse I, of course, had to bump into Dylan in a lonely place in the woods...and I still can't put off the chain. I just can't. Somehow I think the fact is encouraging him. However.  
><em>

_Now please stop flipping around and go back to your kitchen and sing while you cook.  
><em>

_Love you,  
><em>

_Cassie  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter is finished, bla bla bla bla bla. Sorry, I think it took me long. But the therefore the chapter is long, too.<br>**

**What I have to tell you, though, is I'm very disappointed here. The lack of reviews is getting on my nerves, so would you please be so kind and click onto the nice button and tell me how my story was so far?  
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**I'm barely controlling my panic attack here. But for the ones who did review actually, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I bloody love you. And DON'T STOP! Please.  
><strong>

**I'm on the edge..of glory. No funny alright...ehm *cough***

**So  
><strong>

**Review  
><strong>

**Please!  
><strong>

**Anime-GaGa**


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